WGAE Members Ratify First CBS News Digital Union Contract

Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at CBS News Digital have unanimously ratified their first collective bargaining agreement after more than a year of negotiations. The three-year contract covers 46 union members, including writers, reporters, editors, and producers across CBS News digital platforms, and establishes minimum salaries with guaranteed pay raises each year. It also includes provisions for extra pay for overnight shifts, long workdays, standby assignments, and codifies existing remote work policies through 2027, allowing hybrid workers no more than two office days per week and permitting fully remote work. The agreement provides guaranteed severance pay, including 1.5 times severance if layoffs result from generative AI implementation, addressing job security concerns amid technological changes. Additionally, the contract introduces a path for promotion to senior reporter and options for payout of earned comp time, aiming to enhance career sustainability and worker protections at CBS News Digital. This deal was reached shortly before Skydance Media's acquisition of CBS parent company Paramount Global is set to close in August 2025.