National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians
Encyclopedia
The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET-CWA) is a labor union representing employees in television, radio, film, and media production. A division of the Communications Workers of America
(CWA), NABET represents about 12,000 workers organized into about 35 local union
s ("locals").
The union was first organised in 1934 as the Association of Technical Employees (ATE), at first covering employees involved in network television and radio; the union was created by NBC
as a way to prevent its own workers from joining the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
. The ATE would soon expand to other radio networks, and by 1937, ATE also included independent radio and television stations. In 1939 the ATE achieved a union shop
clause.
The union's name changed to NABET in 1940 and was affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
(CIO) in 1951. In 1952 Canadian
radio, television and film workers were entered into the NABET fold. In 1965, NABET expanded to include workers in the film industry.
In 1968, Canadian NABET locals achieved local autonomy followed in 1974 by full autonomy.
In 1994, NABET merged with the CWA and changed its name to NABET-CWA.
Its current officers are Sector President James C. Joyce (who succeeded John S. Clark as International President in July 2010) and Sector Vice President Charles Braico.
Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
(CWA), NABET represents about 12,000 workers organized into about 35 local union
Local union
A local union, often shortened to local, in North America, or a union branch in the United Kingdom and other countries is a locally-based trade union organization which forms part of a larger, usually national, union.Local branches are organized to represent the union's members from a particular...
s ("locals").
The union was first organised in 1934 as the Association of Technical Employees (ATE), at first covering employees involved in network television and radio; the union was created by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
as a way to prevent its own workers from joining the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is a labor union which represents workers in the electrical industry in the United States, Canada, Panama and several Caribbean island nations; particularly electricians, or Inside Wiremen, in the construction industry and linemen and other...
. The ATE would soon expand to other radio networks, and by 1937, ATE also included independent radio and television stations. In 1939 the ATE achieved a union shop
Union shop
A union shop is a form of a union security clause under which the employer agrees to hire either labor union members or nonmembers but all non-union employees must become union members within a specified period of time or lose their jobs...
clause.
The union's name changed to NABET in 1940 and was affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
(CIO) in 1951. In 1952 Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
radio, television and film workers were entered into the NABET fold. In 1965, NABET expanded to include workers in the film industry.
In 1968, Canadian NABET locals achieved local autonomy followed in 1974 by full autonomy.
In 1994, NABET merged with the CWA and changed its name to NABET-CWA.
Its current officers are Sector President James C. Joyce (who succeeded John S. Clark as International President in July 2010) and Sector Vice President Charles Braico.