ABC N.Y. Buyout/Layoff of NABET 16 Staff Engineers

From: NABET-CWA Local 16 News [mailto:news@nabet16.org]
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 10:54 PM To:
Subject: [NABET16] ABC BUYOUT-LAYOFF INFO

Here is what is happening. On Monday management informed the union of a staff reduction in BO&E. Using SL24/HH, the Alternative Layoff Procedure negotiated in the last contract, they are seeking to reduce 42 staff jobs from among 8 groups they are creating for this purpose.

There are 115 members in the affected groups. Letters informing the members of their inclusion in one of these groups were overnighted by management to their homes on Tuesday. Each of the members either has been or will be contacted by the union to discuss their individual situation. We will use e-mail and our web site to post periodic updates on this process for the general membership but the details will be sparse until it is over. We want to protect the affected members privacy as much as possible.

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According to an ABC NABET 16 represented Technical Director:

This is a snippet of what is happening at ABC Network.

Immediately affected are:

8 positions in audio (4 A-1's, 4 A-2's; approx.

11 in graphics operations (not artist/designers).

Several (almost all) linear post production editors.

3 video engineers.

1 Lighting Director.

This does not involve my "group" of Technical Directors. Yet. It's only a matter of time.

There is little or no work for the 2 dozen or more freelance TD's in my group. This also does not currently include camera ops., graphic artists, desk assistants, non-linear editors, and others.

Overtime is severely curtailed already.

The offer as I understand it is a buyout/layoff alternative with a kicker.

Buyout: 2 weeks per year of service with a maximum of 104 weeks of severance pay.

Kicker: extra week of severance pay per year of service by declining rehiring preference rights.

In lieu of buyout, a layoff will occur with greatly reduced severance pay and no kicker.

According to the terms of the most recent contract, seniority can be redefined by management to corral those they want to terminate more easily. This is part of what is happening as well. In some instances individuals have not kept up with advancing technology. In some cases there are individuals that management wants out or made into freelancers. It is easy for management to put people into these "groups".