The New York Guild and Thomson Reuters management have settled the cases of eight journalists who were dismissed last year on the basis of PIPs and then unilaterally offered reinstatement after an arbitrator effectively voided the use of performance improvement plans as a disciplinary tool.

With their strike hitting seven months this week, the Saint John 7 radio employees announced today they are expanding their fight for a fair deal with the Halifax-based Maritime Broadcasting System. In addition to three stations in Saint John, they are asking listeners and advertisers of the Moncton MBS Radio stations, K94.5, 103.9 Max FM and Choix 99, to boycott them until the company bargains a fair contract. “MBS Radio seems determined to dig in its heels and hope we go away”, says Gary Stackhouse, president of the unit of the Canadian Media Guild. “And they seem to be willing to sacrifice revenues in Saint John, at least in the short-term, to do it. What they need to realize is that we are not going away.” Photo: Union Representative Kim Power joins Gary Stackhouse at a picket in front of MBS headquarters in Halifax.

Amid turmoil in Philadelphia, the Guild has agreed to early bargaining for workers at the Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com, with the understanding that the union's present contract remains in effect until a new agreement can be reached and ratified. If a new agreement cannot be reached or ratified, the existing contract stays in effect until it expires in October.