FIRST OFF . . .

Negotiations are going on between ABC and a major technicians’ union on a new contract that would succeed one that expires March 31, union officials said Monday. The union is the National Assn. of Broadcast Employees’ and Technicians (NABET), whose members at NBC struck that company and its owned-and-operated stations for 17 weeks in 1987. The current NABET-ABC talks are being held in San Diego and began last Wednesday. They cover 2,477 members of the union at ABC and the radio and TV stations it owns, including KABC-AM (790) and KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles. In addition to technicians, those represented by the union in negotiations include network publicists, some newswriters, couriers and desk assistants. NABET’s last strike against ABC in 1977 lasted 20 weeks.