CBS News 24/7 Union Members Hold 24-Hour Walkout

Writers Guild of America East members demand fair wages and work protections in new contract

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:20pm by Ben Kaplan

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Writers Guild of America East members at the CBS News 24/7 streaming service are staging a 24-hour walkout in New York and San Francisco after failing to reach a new contract agreement with management. The union says Paramount, which recently acquired Warner Bros. Discovery, has the resources to provide fair wages and basic job protections but has not done so.

Why it matters

The walkout highlights ongoing tensions between media companies and their unionized workforces, especially as the industry undergoes major consolidation and cost-cutting measures. It also raises questions about the ability of legacy news organizations to maintain high-quality journalism and working conditions for employees as they transition to streaming platforms.

The details

The 60-member bargaining unit's contract expired on March 9, and 95% of members signed a pledge to strike if a new agreement was not reached. The union says management has refused to offer terms as favorable as the previous contract, despite Paramount's recent multi-billion dollar acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. CBS News says it continues to negotiate in good faith to reach a fair resolution.

  • The contract for the CBS News 24/7 bargaining unit expired on March 9, 2026.
  • The 24-hour walkout began on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
  • The walkout is scheduled to end at 6 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

The players

Writers Guild of America East

The labor union representing the 60-member bargaining unit of journalists at CBS News 24/7.

Paramount

The media conglomerate that recently acquired Warner Bros. Discovery and now owns both CBS News and CNN.

CBS News

The news division of the CBS television network, which operates the CBS News 24/7 streaming service.

Beth Godvik

The vice president of broadcast/cable/streaming news for the Writers Guild of America East.

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What they’re saying

“CBS News 24/7 journalists are walking off the job on both coasts today because management refuses to agree to a new contract with essential work protections and fair wages. Despite multiple days of good faith negotiations and a strike pledge signed by 95% of our members to emphasize the seriousness of our demands, management continues to offer us worse terms than in our last contracts.”

— Writers Guild of America East bargaining committee

“Paramount has billions to spend acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, but still hasn't guaranteed fair wages and basic job protections for the workers who make their streaming operation run.”

— Beth Godvik, WGAE vice president of broadcast/cable/streaming news

“We continue to negotiate in good faith and hope to reach a fair resolution quickly.”

— CBS News spokesperson

What’s next

The walkout is scheduled to end at 6 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The union and CBS News management will continue negotiations in an effort to reach a new contract agreement.

The takeaway

This labor dispute highlights the challenges facing legacy news organizations as they transition to streaming platforms and deal with industry consolidation. It underscores the need for media companies to maintain fair wages and working conditions for their employees, even as they seek to cut costs and expand their reach.