CBS News writers authorized their union leaders to call a national strike, the Writers Guild of America said Monday, escalating a labor impasse. About 500 CBS News television and radio writers -- who work in New York, Los Angeles, Washington and Chicago -- have been working under an expired contract since April 2005. CBS News, a division of CBS Corp., said the vote was "unfortunate," calling its latest offer "fair and reasonable." The union said 81 percent of the 300 writers who participated in a vote held last Thursday gave WGA negotiators the power to call a work stoppage.
See "CBS news writers give OK for strike call", Associated Press, CNN, November 18, 2007