Albany Guild members held a lunchtime meeting this week, and long-overdue raises was a hot topic of discussion. Local President Tim O'Brien says members are ready to "actively mobilize to show they are hungry for a raise... Five years is too long especially with all the added work people are asked to do as more and more staff has been cut.” Photo: The local's cupcake giveaway last week was one effort to show management that members are hungry for a raise.
The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild and the Labor Heritage Foundation are sponsoring a photo contest with awards for best student, best amateur and best professional photo of the Occupy movement nationwide. Don't miss your chance to win one of the $333.33 prizes -- that's to total $999.99 in recognition of the 99 percent of us that Occupy is fighting for.
The National Labor Relations Board has scheduled an election for June 7 to enable more than 90 English teachers at Kaplan Inc. to decide whether they want the New York Guild to represent them on the job.
In a video just over two minutes long, three Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalists send a powerful message to management about settling the contract dispute with the Guild, and ensuring that workers are treated fairly and with respect.
"Think what you post on Facebook or Twitter may not have ramifications in your professional life? Not so fast." writes Pacific Media Workers Guild President Niesha Lofing, reporting on the social media workshop at the Guild's recent multi-council meeting in Cleveland. Barbara Camens, general counsel for the Guild, led the session, telling members that employers are increasingly "seeing it as their responsibliity to monitor activity" online. Photo: Camens' presentation.
Duffy reports that the Guild entered this week's court-ordered mediation process "hopeful," but ultimately no agreement was reached with Lee Enterprises over the union lawsuits regarding retiree medical coverage.
After five years with no pay increase, members of the Albany Guild are hungry for a raise. The Guild made the point Wednesday with a cupcake giveaway in the Times Union cafeteria. The message to management: What members really want "is respect for their bargaining rights and a show of appreciation in their paychecks."
The New York Guild announced Wednesday that it has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for an election that would allow 80 English-as-a-second-language teachers at Kaplan Inc. to decide if they want Guild representation.
Guild leaders say management's plan to lay off two-thirds of the copy editors at the Denver Post "is a shortsighted cost-cutting measure that will irreparably damage" the newspaper, Read the Guild's full statement, and see further coverage in Denver's alternative weekly, Westword.
As the New York Guild wages a vigorous campaign to protect members' retirement security, Times' negotiators signaled Tuesday that they may be willing to back off their demand to freeze workers' pensions. It was the first potential thaw since contract talks began 15 months ago. Photo: Guild members hold a silent protest outside newsroom editors' meeting. Below: Times negotiators at the table Tuesday, May 1.
