The Philadelphia Media Network told Guild leaders Wednesday that it will cut 37 jobs through buyouts and layoffs as it begins combining the newsrooms of the Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com. "The company's decision to decimate our already-shrunken ranks is hard to comprehend given the ever-competitive 24/7 nature of today's media landscape," local officers said in a memo to members.
Guild President Bill O’Meara said the prevailing feeling among members is that a pension freeze is too large a concession in light of former CEO Janet Robinson’s $21 million buyout, with full pension. Times' negotiator Bernard Plum responded: “I’m not interested in the prevailing sentiment. I don’t care; emotions don’t matter.”
Questions arise after information about Philadelphia Media Network's finances disappears from stories posted online. The Guild contract requires that writers be informed prior to any retraction of their material.
Updates on the homepage for the Washington Post's Guild unit include details about the proposed buyouts, which are targeting up to 48 Guild-represented jobs. As the Guild works to negotiate the best possible terms, unit leaders are reminding workers of the value of a union: "One of the main reasons the Post is offering buyouts and is not just tapping people on the shoulder and telling them to go, is because you have a union and a contract."
The three-year contract reverses management's earlier draconian demands to slahs wages and benefits and eliminate job security through unilateral subcontracting and dismissals.
Nominations are now open for the Charles B. Dale Guild Service Award, TNG-CWA's annual recognition of excellence in local leadership. Submissions must be received by TNG headquarters no later than April 2, 2012. The award is open to local members who serve in an unpaid capacity as local officers or in other responsible local positions. The winner will receive a scholarship of up to $2,000 for a course in trade union education.
As bargaining continues at the Pioneer Press in St. Paul, the Guild has negotiated a two-month extension of a no-layoff provision that was set to expire Jan. 31.
A festive evening for the United Media Guild Jan. 27 honored top union activists and journalists, and also remembered a friend and colleague who died after Lee Enterprises stripped him and other retirees of their health care coverage. A moment of silence was held for Robert Douglas, and his daughter and others shared memories. The local's annual dinner in St. Louis drew about 150 Guild members and guests. Photo: Local VP David Carson hams it up with Sari Gelzer, unit chair at Truthout and winner of UMG's Activist of the Year award.
Full committee negotiations resumed on Friday with the Guild and Times management agreeing to bring the pension and health care issues into subcommittee discussions. Currently, four other subcommittees are dealing with issues like temporary workers, vacation and work schedules, performance reviews and internal freelance fees.
