NLRB to CNN: Make Workers Whole

September 30, 2014

In a ruling that was 11 years in the making, the National Labor Relations Board found overwhelming evidence of anti-union animus at CNN. It ordered the cable news channel to “make whole” more than 300 employees who lost jobs or benefits under the company’s phony reorganization scheme. The company must also restore any bargaining unit work that was outsourced since the end of contracts and recognize and resume bargaining with the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians – Communications Workers of America (NABET-CWA).

The dispute began in 2003, when CNN replaced unionized subcontractor Team Video Services (TVS), which provided audio and video technicians for CNN, with an in-house nonunion workforce. Though the union immediately filed an unfair labor practice charge, the complaint was not heard by an NLRB Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) for five years. In November 2008, the ALJ ruled that CNN had engaged in “widespread and egregious misconduct” and demonstrated flagrant disregard for employee rights. CNN was ordered to take seven actions to remedy the situation, but instead the network appealed the ruling.

“These workers have waited far too long for this measure of justice to finally be delivered and have suffered far too much as a result of these unlawful activities. CNN should finally do the right thing now and immediately comply with the orders of the National Labor Relations Board,” says NABET-CWA President Jim Joyce.

A CNN spokesperson said: “CNN disagrees with the NLRB decision and we are evaluating our options.”