ABC News employees in NY, DC ratify new contract

[May 11, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- ABC News employees represented by the Writers Guild of America, East have overwhelmingly ratified a new contract.

The Writers Guild released a statement Monday saying the three-year contract affects news writers, editors, graphic artists and others at television and radio stations in New York and Washington, D.C. The contract was announced in April and is effective immediately.

Under the agreement ABC employees in the Guild will receive wage increases of at least 2 percent in each of the three years. The contract also provides minimum salaries and enhanced severance packages for writers who produce shows for WABC-TV.

WGAE Executive Director Lowell Peterson says he's happy to have secured a contract that provides his members with wage increases and innovative job protections.

ABC News hasn't commented.

[Associated Press]

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