International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“IBEW”) Local Union 1220 is pleased to announce that a tentative agreement with Window to the World (“WTTW”) Communications has been accepted and ratified by the membership. This new collective bargaining agreement will expire in July 2025. Members returned to work at Chicagoland’s PBS station on Friday, April 8. This agreement restores labor peace with the station and ends a 23-day strike that started on March 16. This was the first strike called in the nearly 70-year history of the IBEW and WTTW.
Included in this new agreement are full-time staff hiring guarantees which will partially protect the size of the IBEW bargaining unit as well as fair economic gains. Local 1220 made multiple concessions so that the company would be able to genuinely compete in the future with commercial television stations in the Chicagoland market. The IBEW looks forward to continuing its relationship with WTTW as both parties strive to produce even more award-winning programming over the course of this term. Local 1220 Business Manager John Rizzo has issued the following statement:
“It has been a very difficult last ten months with this company across the table, but we have achieved our ultimate goal which was to reach a new contract that was fair for the members. Our mission was to protect jobs and jurisdiction for both current and future generations of workers employed at WTTW. “We feel this was the best agreement possible given where both sides started in May 2021. “I cannot speak highly enough of the bargaining unit and their dedication to this cause. Our members were unified and selfless on the picket line. Every single member contributed something to the team. The job they all did together was admirable. Their sacrifices made this contract possible. “I would also like to acknowledge all of the support the Union received from Mayor Lori Lightfoot, numerous Congressmen and Congresswomen from across the state, dozens of Aldermen and Alderwomen from the Chicagoland area, the Democratic Party of Illinois, the Chicago Federation of Labor, the IBEW Sixth District, several other IBEW Locals in the area and members from other trade unions that joined us in solidarity on the picket line. “In true PBS style, I would say that the overwhelming support for the workers on strike was made possible by viewers like you. Thank you.”