Bloomberg BNA management this week revised its health care proposal — but still would shift at least $4.5 million dollars in costs to employees over three years.
Janelle Hartman —
February 21, 2013— NewsGuild-CWA
With its second bankruptcy in three years, the Journal Register Co. is abusing the system to abandon its obligations to workers and investors, Newspaper Guild President Bernie Lunzer charged Thursday. “They are essentially selling the company to itself, with only minor modifications in ownership,” Lunzer said. “Shamelessly, this reorganization is hurting many people, including our Guild members.”
A New York state Department of Transportation official decided to retire rather than face the possibility of being fired as punishment for talking to the press without prior approval -- even though his comments heaped praise on the agency's response during Tropical Storm Irene. The Daily Enterprise says, "It's a case that illustrates how far the state sometimes goes to limit its rank-and-file employees - those who have direct knowledge and expertise in their particular fields - from communicating with the press, and therefore, the public."
The Guild has joined with publishers in the Newspaper Association of America to oppose the Postal Regulatory Commission’s postage-rebate deal with Valassis Direct Mail, Inc. In an amicus brief, the Guild argues that the court shouldn't allow the Commission "to further undermine the fragile health of newspapers by allowing Valassis to have a tremendous anti-competitive advantage in the advertising marketplace. Simply put, thousands of jobs hang in the balance."
The Newspaper Guild is asking a federal court to order the Tribune Company to cover the union’s legal expenses in its successful fight against the bankrupt publisher’s executive-bonus plan in 2009. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2008, submitted a proposal for nearly $67 million in bonuses. After the union objected, the bankruptcy court approved an extra-compensation pool of just under $46 million. Court records show that the publisher’s lawyers charged $723,000 to push for the bonuses, twice what the union paid to challenge them.
The Pacific Media Workers Guild bargaining team on Wednesday raised new cost issues concerning the Hearst Corp.’s proposal to move Chronicle Guild members and families into the management health care plan. The Guild presented a detailed analysis of the company’s proposal that showed the Chronicle’s plan will not only cost employees more, but will also inflate the company’s own costs — just when profitability seems within reach.
Advertising employees at the Albany Times Union are being asked to shoulder extraordinary burdens, prompting the Guild to ask for information about how workers can reasonably be expected to do all that is being asked of them. For instance, ad sales staff are being told they must make five in-person sales calls every day, on top of many other responsibilities.
With virtually no advanced notice to the Guild, Time Inc. management has confirmed long-rumored, company-wide job cuts, leaving 19 Guild-covered employees facing layoffs along with hundreds of other nonunion colleagues. The announcement came just days after Guild and Time Inc. management negotiators held their first bargaining session for a new contract. "Basically, management is proposing an end to employment as we know it," New York Guild leaders said.
To honor Black History Month, the Canadian Media Guild asked Guild members what advice they'd give someone coming into the industry, and what being a role model means to them. "We recognize Canada’s media industry does not yet reflect the actual population of the country," CMG says on its website. "We are proud of our members who are paving the way." Among them is CBC News reporter Ron Charles, pictured with his husband, Leroy. Charles says, "I offer advice from my father when I started my career in journalism 27 years ago: 'Always be true to who you are; and never forget where you came from.'"
Last year was the first time in decades that The Buffalo News did not pull in at least $100 million in annual revenues, Publisher and President Warren T. Colville told employees at the recent State of the News meetings. Operating profits have improved, however. And 2012 was the first time the company met its own goals for making money from digital products.
