IBEW Local 1228 (Boston) Broadcast techs vote on strike

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Viacom workers voting on strike

By Greg Gatlin

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Union broadcast technicians are turning up the heat at Viacom Boston-owned TV stations, and could vote today to give authority for contract negotiators to call a strike.

The move could be aimed at jump-starting what a union official says are stalled contract talks amid growing labor tension between management of local Viacom stations WBZ-TV (Ch. 4) and WSBK-TV (Ch. 38) and negotiators with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1228.

Technicians at the Viacom stations include news and post-production editors, master control workers, satellite truck operators, studio and audio technicians and others critical to getting television programming on the air.

A strike authorization vote is often used for bargaining leverage, and does not indicate a strike is imminent.

"At present, there is insufficient pressure on the company to move these negotiations forward,'' Kenneth Flanagan, business manager, wrote in a Dec. 27 letter to to the technicians' bargaining unit.

Wages, personal and vacation days and arbitration of disciplinary matters are key sticking points. Flanagan told the Herald that management wants merit-based wage increases.

The union wants across-the-board wage increases. Union negotiators want more personal days and a fifth week of vacation for employees with 20 or more years on the job.

Flanagan said Viacom Boston has insisted on eliminating arbitration for unresolved disciplinary grievances, which would leave final decisions in the hands of the company.

"Those are the important issues from our perspective,'' Flanagan said.

A Viacom Boston spokeswoman said the station operator does not comment on personnel matters, including union negotiations. She said negotiators are scheduled to meet next Tuesday.