NBC SAYS PROGRAMMING NOT AFFECTED BY STRIKE
National Broadcasting Co, a unit of
General Electric Co <GE>, said programming has not been
affected by a strike which began just after midnight June 28.
    "Right now things are running very smoothly," said NBC
spokeswoman McClaine Ramsey.
    The strike by members of the National Association of
Broadcast Employees, representing 2,800 of NBC's 8,000 workers,
began after the network imposed a contract which the union said
was unacceptable. The union said its main objection to the
contract was that it permitted NBC to employ additional
part-time workers.
    Ramsey said managers had been trained to replace the roles
of many of the producers, news writers, editors and technicians
who walked off the job. She said no reductions in programming,
much of which is summer re-run schedule, were expected.
    NABET executive board member Bill Freeh said many people,
some brought in from foreign news bureaus, had crossed picket
lines set up at NBC television stations and bureaus.
 Reuter
