The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, whose members include camera techs for ABC News, has authorized its negotiation committee to call a strike if necessary among ABC News employees, the Wall Street Journal reports. The two sides have been negotiating without an agreement for a year and a half.

In a note posted to the NABET website updating members of the situation, the negotiation committee says that despite the presence of a federal mediator at meetings over the weekend, no deal was reached.

“Unfortunately, this round of federal mediation did not result in the Union reaching agreement on a new contract with the Company,” read the statement to members. “NABET-CWA and Commissioner Germany have provided ABC with proposed dates for future federal mediation meetings. The Union and the FMCS are waiting for ABC representatives to respond.”

ABC is the pool provider for Wednesday’s debate. The WSJ notes that even if ABC staffers were to strike, the debate would still go on (with another network providing pool coverage), but it would potentially be a very real distraction. The last time ABC News had a strike of technical workers was in 1998.