The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the labor union representing more than 70,000 actors, singers, writers, journalists and performers working in entertainment and news media, has ratified a new contract with ABC and CBS for its network journalists, including anchors, correspondents and reporters.
The deal includes pay increases for network staff newspersons, fee increases for freelance correspondents, pension coverage improvements and coverage for work done in new-media platforms.
“These agreements are a big step forward for broadcast journalists as they improve wages and benefits,” AFTRA President Roberta Reardon said in a press release. “Given the state of the broadcast industry and emerging new-media platforms in particular, the new agreements with ABC and CBS protect AFTRA members as they work in the digital landscape and secure current contract protections.”
The new two-year contract goes into effect on May 16, the day after the current contract ends.
Corrected: Networks in first paragraph.