As expected, the Writers Guild of America announced the ratification Monday of a new three-year agreement with ABC News.
Approved by 89 percent of the WGA East’s voting body, the new contract mandates 2 percent yearly wage increases retroactive to April 12, 2010.
The labor contract affects newswriters, editors, desk assistants, production assistants, graphic artists and researchers working in national and local television and radio in New York and Washington, D.C.
“We are happy to have secured a contract for that provides our members with wage increases and innovative job protections and happy they have overwhelmingly ratified this contract,” said WGA East executive director Lowell Peterson, in a statement. “Our members’ ratification of this contract ensures that they will remain integral to ABC News’ success as the broadcast news business transforms in the coming years.”
On Friday, Peterson released another an open letter to WGA East members, signaling that a new deal with ABC News was close … and that difficulties had emerged in negotiations with CBS News and PBS stations.
