ARTICLE 1

Recognition

1.1         During the term of this Contract, and any extension or renewal thereof, the Employer will recognize and deal with the Guild as the exclusive agency and representative for purposes of adjusting grievances and of collective bargaining concerning rates of pay wages, hours of employment, and other conditions of employment of all its employees working in its Editorial, Circulation, Maintenance, Telephone Operator, Advertising Departments, and Business Office, but excluding publisher, general manager, personnel director, business manager, assistant to business manager, classified manager, assistant classified manager, editor, executive editor, managing editor, city editor, news/graphics editor, sports editor, photo department supervisor, on-line editor, circulation director, circulation manager, assistant circulation manager, distribution loading director, maintenance supervisor, marketing director, national advertising manager, display advertising manager, assistant display advertising manager, Penny Pincher general manager, Phoenixville general manager/supervising editor, dispatch manager, confidential secretaries, comptroller, business office manager, county stringer correspondents and commission advertising salesmen, and all supervisors, managers and confidential employees within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act.

1.2         The Employer will not enter into any agreement inconsistent with the provisions of this Contract with any individual employee or group of employees covered by this Agreement affecting the conditions or terms of employment of said employee, or group of employees.

1.3         The Employer is a content company that must be prepared to disseminate via print, wireless, podcast, the Web (including but not limited to blogs, forums, or electronic bulletin boards), or on platforms yet to be created. Employees are working in a changing environment and with changing technologies. For example, editorial employees may be required to write copy, edit news material, take photos, produce videos, audio, prepare and update on-line content, do voice-overs, re-purpose content and engage in a variety of functions not traditionally a part of historical print journalism. Advertising sales persons may be required to take photos for advertisements or advertorials, collect copy from advertisers, confer with advertisers about advertorial copy or content, and assist in the preparation of advertorials. Nothing contained elsewhere in this Agreement shall be construed as restricting such assignments.

It is recognized that current employees (8/23/07) have not been required to perform historically all of the duties provided for above. While employees are not expected to be immediately proficient in all of these duties they are expected to give a fair effort and such an employee who meets the obligation to give a fair effort over time shall not be subject to discipline, provided further, that no employee shall be unreasonably disciplined.

      (a)          Work presently done by employees of the Employer in the various departments covered by

this Agreement shall be done by such employees, except in the following circumstances where it shall be permissible to assign the work to persons not covered by this Agreement: 1) where this Contract elsewhere expressly provides for usage of non-bargaining unit personnel; 2) where utilization of non-bargaining unit personnel would not have an adverse impact on bargaining unit personnel, i.e. by way of example only and not by way of limitation, utilization of specialized maintenance contractors or utilization of outside janitorial services. Performances of such work, whether by presently used processes or equipment or by new or modified processes or equipment, shall be assigned in accordance with the foregoing. (This clause is not intended as fixing the number of jobs, nor does it waive the right of the Guild under other sections of this Agreement to arbitrate discharges.)

            (b)         Positions in the Business Office are subject to consolidation elsewhere. If this results in

a reduction in force, such reductions shall be handled as provided for at Section 14.2. Severance pay shall be made in accordance with Article XII of this agreement.

             (c)          There shall be no restriction on the use of content (both editorial and advertising) from any source, provided that this shall not be construed as modifying the final sentence of either Section 1.6 or the final sentence of Section 28.11.

              (d)         Distribution and circulation employees may be assigned work relating to other products or materials without conferring jurisdiction on the Guild (e.g., other JRC newspapers or shoppers, other newspapers or magazines, samples, pre-prints that have not been inserted, etc.).

1.4          (a) The Employer will endeavor to maintain sixteen (16) full-time newsroom positions including

nine (9) reporters, and two (2) photographers during the life of this Contract. Nothing herein shall prohibit the Employer from temporarily transferring any newsroom employee from one newsroom position to another in order to expedite the flow of work.

                (b)   Advertorial work shall be done as follows: whenever the Advertorial Writer is absent or unable to perform the duties required of that position, the work is assigned to Guild-covered copy editors and/or non-bargaining unit personnel. Advertorial work is not assigned to reporters.

1 .5        Should the volume of stringer copy increase to the level where the position of coordinator of independent contractors in the Editorial Department is reestablished, then such a position shall be a Guild-covered position at copy editor's scale.

1.6         The Employer may use copy, graphics, or pictorial material obtained from syndicates, correspondents or stringers and affiliated newspapers. The use of such material shall not cause the layoff or discharge of any employee covered by this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

Guild Shop and Dues Deduction

2.1         All employees who, on the date of the execution of this Agreement, are members of the Guild, shall, as a condition of continued employment, remain members in good standing during the life of this Agreement. All employees, who on the date of execution of this Agreement, are not members of the Guild, shall, as a condition of continued employment, become members of the Guild not later than the 30th day after the execution of this Agreement. All employees who, subsequent to the execution of this Agreement, are transferred to positions to which this Agreement is applicable, and all employees who are hired after the execution of this Agreement, shall, as a condition of continued employment, become members of the Guild not later than the 30th day after such transfer or hiring and thereafter remain members of the Guild in good standing during the life of this Agreement. "Members in Good Standing" as that term is used herein shall mean only that the employee has tendered dues and fees uniformly required of all members.

2.2         The Guild, in writing, will notify any employee who fails to remain in good standing with the Guild, that he is no longer in good standing, specify in what respects he is delinquent and afford him ten (10) days in which to remedy his delinquencies. A copy of the Guild's notification will be sent to the Employer. If the employee does not remedy his delinquency within the ten (10) day period, he shall be dismissed by the Employer.

2.3         If any employee is reinstated in good standing in the Guild after discharge pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Article, there shall be no obligation on the Employer to reinstate or re-employ such person.

2.4         Upon an employee's voluntary written assignment, the Employer shall deduct from the weekly earnings of such employee and pay to the Guild not later than the 10th day of each month all Guild membership dues. Such membership dues shall be deducted from the employee's earnings in accordance with the Guild's schedule of dues rates furnished the Employer by the Guild. Such schedule may be amended by the Guild at any time. An employee's voluntary written assignment shall remain effective in accordance with the terms of such assignment.

2.5         The dues deduction assignment shall be made upon the following form:

ASSIGNMENT AND AUTHORIZATION TO DEDUCT GUILD MEMBERSHIP DUES

 To: _______________________

 I hereby assign to the                                          Newspaper Guild, and authorize the Employer to deduct from any salary earned or to be earned by me as his employee, an amount equal to all my Guild membership dues, as certified by the Treasurer of the

                                           Guild,  for each calendar month following the date of this assignment. I further authorize and request the Employer to remit the amount deducted to the                                   Guild not later than the 10th day of that month.

 This assignment and authorization shall remain in effect until revoked by me but shall be irrevocable for a period of one year from the date appearing below or until termination of the collective bargaining agreement between the Employer and the Guild, whichever occurs sooner. I further agree and direct that this assignment and authorization shall be continued automatically and shall be irrevocable for successive periods of one year each or for the period of each succeeding applicable collective agreement between the Employer and the Guild, whichever period shall be shorter, unless written notice of its revocation is given by me to the Employer and to the Guild by registered mail not more than thirty (30) days and not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the expiration of each period of one year. or of each applicable collective agreement between the Employs and the Guild, whichever occurs sooner. Such notice of revocation shall become effective for the calendar month following the calendar month in which the Employer receives it. This assignment and authorization supersedes all previous assignments and authorizations heretofore given by me in relation to my Guild membership dues.

Employee’s Signature     Date                                                                                                                                    

ARTICLE III

Discrimination

3.           There shall be no dismissal of or other discrimination against an employee because of membership or activity in the Guild, nor shall the Publisher or the Guild discriminate against an employee because of age, sex, race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, mental or physical disabilities, or on the basis of any other class or characteristic to the extent protected by law, or because of their rights protected by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended.

ARTICLE III

Discrimination

3.           There shall be no dismissal of or other discrimination against an employee because of membership or activity in the Guild, nor shall the Publisher or the Guild discriminate against an employee because of age, sex, race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, mental or physical disabilities, or on the basis of any other class or characteristic to the extent protected by law, or because of their rights protected by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended.

ARTICLE IV

Minimum Salaries

4.1         The weekly salaries of the employees based on their experience shall not be less than the amounts

stated in Section 4.2 of this Article IV on the applicable effective dates.

4.2         (a)          The following minimum weekly salaries shall be paid, effective as indicated:

SCHEDULE A: employees starting before 3/15/99

Group I:            Editors, Copy Editors, Advertorial

Start to 1 year                 $716.42

After 1 year                     $787.74

After 2 years                   $880.20

Fourth Level*                  $966.72

*Note:  Advancement to fourth level is at the sole discretion of the Company.

Group II:           Reporters, Photographers, Advertising Salespersons*, Lay‑out Artists,

Circulation Supervisors

Start to 1 year                 $550.07

After 1 year                     $597.61

After 2 years                   $645.15

After 3 years                   $692.64

After 4 years                   $740.20

After 5 years                   $890.88

*See Article XXVIII

Group III:          Telephone Solicitors, Ad‑Visors

Start to 1 year                 $493.63

After 1 year                     $518.47

After 2 years                   $543.34

After 3 years                   $567.09

After 4 years                   $614.43

After 5 years                   $690.37

Group IV:         Maintenance

Start to 1 year                 $539.49

After 1 year                     $550.33

After 2 years                   $608.67

Group V:    Customer Service Representatives: Advertising, Circulation, Editorial and Business Office; Clericals 

Start to 1 year                 $517.70

After 1 year                     $528.49

After 2 years                   $539.32

After 3 years                   $561.08

After 4 years                   $613.00

Group VI:         Truck Drivers/Persons‑In‑Charge

(includes those employees formerly classified as mailers)

$17.22/hr

SCHEDULE B: employees starting after 3‑15‑99

Group I:            Editors, Copy Editors

Start to 1 year                 $666.51

After 1 year                     $693.17

After 2 years                   $719.82

After 3 years                   $794.12

Group I (a):       Advertorial Writers

Start to 1 year                 $399.90

After 1 year                     $453.78

Group II:           Reporters, Photographers, Lay‑out Artists, Circulation Supervisors

Start to 1 year                 $453.23

After 1 year                     $479.89

After 2 years                   $506.54

After 3 years                   $595.60

Group II (a):      Advertising Salespersons

Start to 1 year                 $426.56

After 1 year                     $453.23

After 2 years                   $479.89

After 3 years                   $567.23

Group III:          Telephone Solicitors, Ad‑Visors

Start to 1 year                 $405.24

After 1 year                     $426.56

After 2 years                   $482.14

Group IV:         Maintenance

Start to 1 year                 $373.24

After 1 year                     $426.56

After 2 years                   $482.14

Group V:   Customer Service Representatives: Advertising, Circulation, Editorial and Business Office; Clericals 

Start to 1 year                 $373.24

After 1 year                     $394.58

After 2 years                   $421.23

After 3 years                   $476.47

Group VI:         Truck Drivers/Persons‑In‑Charge

(includes those employees formerly classified as mailers)

$11.91/hr

Group VII:        Janitorial

Start to 1 year                 $340.33

4.2         (b)         In addition to the experience increases for Wage Schedules “A” and "B" herein,

employees paid under Wage Schedules "A" and “B” shall receive an increase of 1% on their hourly rate effective 9/12/08 and .5% effective 3/12/09. Wage Schedules "A" and “B” shall remain unchanged.

4.3         (a)          In the application of the foregoing schedules of minimum salaries, "experience" shall include all employment in comparable work. Employees shall be classified as to the job title and experience rating at the time of employment, transfer or promotion, and the Guild shall be notified thereof in accordance with the provisions of Article 24. An employee paid a salary above the minimum provided for his actual experience shall receive an experience rating which conforms to his salary.

               (b)         Employees hired after March 15, 1999 shall be paid in accordance with Schedule B and shall be placed at the "Start to 1 year" level, unless the Publisher elects to pay over the minimum. They shall progress based upon experience at The Mercury.

4.4         The difference obtaining at any time between the salary being paid to an employee and the minimum weekly salary which would be applicable to him under the provisions of Section 4.2 of this Article 4, shall be maintained whenever the minimum salaries are increased (including the increase in minimum salaries provided for in Section 4.2 of this Article 4) and whenever the employee becomes entitled to a higher minimum salary by reason of completion of a period of experience.

In order to effectuate the foregoing sentence, the salary of any employee whose salary is less than the highest minimum salary for his classification provided for in said Section 4.2 of this Article 4 shall, upon his completing a classification experience period, be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the minimum salary that would then be applicable to him and the next preceding minimum salary for his classification.

This section 4.4 does not apply to raises given in accordance with section 4.2 (b). Salaries of employees receiving such Section 4.2 (b) raises shall increase in accordance with the applicable experience steps set forth in Section 4.2 (a). (Reference Side Letter 3 for examples)

4.5         Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, there shall be no reduction in any employee's salary while this Agreement is in effect. The minimum wage rates established herein are minimums only. Nothing in this Contract shall be construed as prohibiting a salary being paid to any employee higher than that required by Sections 4.1 through 4.4.

4.6         (a)          Any employee who is scheduled to begin work on any day before 6:00 a.m. and any

employee whose scheduled time for ending work is subsequent to 6:00 p.m. shall receive, in addition to his or her regular hourly rate, a night differential of $.45 cents per hour or three dollars ($3.00) for each shift whichever is greater. The night differential shall constitute a portion of the employee's regular salary for all purposes, including sick leave, vacation, holiday, and severance pay.

(b)         A covered truck run shall be defined as papers delivered in bulk to racks, stores and carriers as listed on the truck delivery manifest but not to include drops made by independent contractors, distributors or agents. The present covered truck runs are numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and Penny Pincher run(s). The aforementioned truck runs listed are solely for descriptive purposes and do not constitute a manning requirement nor a Company intent to maintain any named or minimum number of truck runs.

(c)          Full-time distribution employees, then all remaining distribution employees by seniority and availability, shall be given first consideration to be scheduled for a down motor route or a skip run and will receive the truck driver pay for the delivery time portion of the shift.

A distribution employee's vacation, sick leave, holiday and severance rates of pay shall be based on the average of the last fifty-two (52) weeks of work.

(d)         A twelve dollar ($12.00) differential will be paid for shifts that include work time between

6 p.m. and midnight on Saturday.

(e)          The following have been named regular part-time distribution employees with medical benefits: Jeff Moses and Tim Antush.

Any references to named regular part-time distribution employees with medical benefits in this Agreement applies to and shall remain in effect only for the above named employees.

4.7         (a)  Any employee who works in more than one classification shall receive the rate of salary of

the higher paid of the two classifications for the time worked in such higher paid classification. The rate of salary which he shall receive for work in said higher paid classification shall be the greater of either the rate in that classification for the number of years of experience in the classification in which he usually works or the rate in said higher classification next higher than the rate which he receives for work in the classification in which he usually works.

If in any one financial week such employee works more than eighteen (18) hours in a higher paid classification than his own, he shall be paid at the rate specified above for the entire week.

The application of the pay for working out of classification language in this section 4.7 (a) is limited to pay for work on the daily newspaper, the Penny Pincher and other print products.

(b)         With respect to product(s) other than print product(s), any employee filling in for the On-Line Editor shall be paid in accordance with Section 4.7 (a).

4.8         Whenever an employee covered by this Contract is assigned by the Employer to perform the work of a department head, he/she shall be paid, in addition to his/her regular salary, ten percent (10%) of the top minimum of the classification or a minimum of $12.00, whichever is greater. It is understood and agreed that such assignment shall be for a minimum period of one working day.

ARTICLE V

Hours and Overtime

5.1         (a)          The regular workweek for all full-time employees shall consist of five (5) consecutive

workdays between Monday and Sunday, except for the Business Department and the Advertising Department, which includes Inside and Outside Retail and Classified, the Penny Pincher, and Ad Services, where the regular workweek for all full-time employees shall consist of five (5) consecutive workdays between Monday and Saturday. Consistent with subsection (b) below, by mutual agreement of the Employer and the employee, an employee in the Business Office or Advertising Department may be scheduled for a shift on Sunday. The regular workweek for all full-time employees shall be thirty-seven and one-half (37 1/2) hours. The regularly scheduled number of hours constituting the workday for all employees shall be seven and one-half (7 1/2) consecutive hours, interrupted by the lunch period heretofore prevailing.

(b)         Additionally, by mutual agreement of the Employer and the employee, an employee’s normal workday may exceed eight (8) hours per day and/or may include split shifts, provided that this sentence shall not be construed as modifying Subsection 5.2 (a) DRIVERS and in particular subparagraph (2) of that subsection. Similarly, by mutual agreement of the Employer and the employee, an employee in the Business Office or Advertising Department may be scheduled for a shift on Sunday. Any employee who works more than ten and one-half (10 1/2) hours per workday shall be entitled to a meal allowance. No employee shall be penalized for refusing to accept such an alternative work schedule.

5.2        (a)   DISTRIBUTION - Full-time distribution employees shall be scheduled for thirty-seven and

one-half (37 1/2) hours per week in five (5) days, Sunday through Saturday, at seven and one-half (7 1/2) hours per day. Full-time distribution employees shall be entitled to twenty-six (26) weekends off per calendar year. When feasible full-time distribution employees shall have the option of Friday and Saturday, or Saturday and Sunday, or two (2) consecutive days off in the week as their weekend as provided for in the prior sentence.

(b)         Distribution employees, other than full-timers, shall be guaranteed no less than three (3) hours per day on all days they are scheduled to work.

All benefits to which distribution employees are entitled shall be compensated on the basis of time worked as defined in 5.3.

(c)          Full-time distribution employees, then named regular part-time distribution employees (part-timers with medical benefits named in 4.6 (e)), then part-time distribution employees (part-timers without medical benefits) shall be given the first opportunity to work overtime, except where recalls for overtime would be for one hour or less. Overtime shall be offered to full-timers on a rotating basis except where such overtime results from the absence of a substitute. In the event no full-time distribution employee is available for the overtime, said overtime shall be offered to named regular part-time distribution employees (part-timers with medical benefits named in 4.6 (e)) on a rotating basis. In the event no full-time distribution employee or named regular part-time distribution employee (part-timers with medical benefits named in 4.6 (e)) is available for the overtime, said overtime shall be offered to part-time distribution employees (part-timers without medical benefits) on a rotating basis.

(d)         By mutual agreement between the employee and the Company, part-time distribution employees (other than the named regular part-timers in 4.6(e)) may work additional hours at the end of his/her scheduled shift, up to a full 7.5 hour shift at the straight-time rate.

(e)          Named regular part-time distribution employees (part-timers with medical benefits named in Section 4.6 (e)), may be scheduled to work up to five days, up to thirty-seven and one-half (37 1/2) hours and maintain their medical benefits.

5.2         (a)          DRIVERS.

1.           The acceptance of severance terminates all rights under this Agreement, including recall.

2.           The normal workday may exceed eight hours per day and employees may be required to work split shifts.  Any day a distribution employee works more than ten and one-half (10 1/2) hours the distribution employee shall be entitled to a meal allowance.

3.           Overtime shall be paid in accordance with Section 5.3 of this Article 5.

4.           Overtime associated with a particular run(s) shall be assigned.  Other overtime, such as an extra day's work, shall be assigned as provided for at Section 5.2(c).  The Employer shall continue to have the right to employ persons at straight time before incurring overtime.

5.           At least once a year the Employer shall post the drivers' schedule for seniority bid. The Employer may bid the schedule more frequently at the Employer's sole discretion.

6.           A regular distribution employee’s position shall indicate the truck run(s), the days on which the work is to be performed, and the anticipated normal starting time.  Starting times may be changed as provided for at Section 5.6.

7.           Certain distribution positions may be designated as relief drivers.  Relief drivers may be used for any purpose including covering trips of regular distribution employees who are off for any reason (e.g., vacation, injury, illness, etc.).  The schedule for relief drivers shall indicate two (2) days off.  Recognizing that the actual hours and days of work for relief drivers will vary, the Employer shall give such notice as it can reasonably provide under the circumstances.

8.           Whenever a distribution employee is assigned by the Employer to do the work of the Distribution/Loading Director position, the posted schedule shall indicate the person assigned, as well as the days on which the work is to be performed and the anticipated normal starting time. Such person shall be compensated in accordance with Article 4.8.

9.          The Employer, at its sole discretion, may hire casual employees whose only right under the Agreement shall be to be paid the stipulated hourly rate.  Qualifications for benefits shall be the same as for part-time employees.  Regular employees shall be offered straight time hours before casuals shall be used.

10.         Distribution employees may be assigned any work related to the handling or delivery of The Mercury or Penny Pincher, including the receipt and staging of products at any Employer facility or the delivery of down routes.

11.         Distribution employees may be assigned work relating to other products or materials without conferring jurisdiction on the Guild (e.g., other JRC newspapers or shoppers, other newspapers or magazines, samples, pre-prints that have not been inserted, etc.).

12.         The Employer at its sole discretion may modify, add, or discontinue truck runs.

13.         Sections 14.2 and 14.3 shall apply to drivers and the in-charge position.

14.         If a distribution employee leaves, the Employer is not required to re-bid the schedule.  It shall first offer a regular driver position to the current employees in seniority order. Thereafter the Employer may fill from the outside.

5.3         Overtime shall be paid at time and one-half and shall be defined as work performed in excess of 40 worked hours during any one week. However for purposes of this Section 5.3, the “40 worked hours” threshold shall include time not worked but paid for as holidays or vacation days.

5.4         A minimum of four (4) hours' pay at the overtime rate shall be paid to any employee called back after the completion of his/her work on any day and after leaving the Employer's building or the place where his/her duties are being performed, unless previously agreed to.

5.5         Editorial department employees and circulation department employees shall be entitled to twenty-six (26) weekends off per calendar year. When feasible employees shall have the option of Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday, or two consecutive days off in the week as their weekend as provided for in the prior sentence.

5.6         Work schedules for full-time employees and named regular part-time distribution employees (part-timers with medical benefits named in Section 4.6(e)), showing a starting and an ending time shall be posted seven (7) days in advance. For part-time employees, the Company shall make a bona fide effort to post schedules seven (7) days in advance. However, such schedules shall not be posted less than three (3) days in advance. Scheduling showing a starting time and an ending time for part-timers/distribution employees shall be according to seniority and availability. (Old Side Letter 2 – Re-number on signing)

5.7         The Employer shall cause a record of all overtime to be kept. Copies of such records shall be given to the Guild on request.

5.8         Except as provided in Section 5.6, the Employer agrees that it will not schedule the days of work, the number of hours of work on any day, or the time for the beginning and ending of work on any day, of any current (7/28/07) part-time employee in the Distribution Department in such a manner as will interfere with such employee's presently held full-time position with any other company or organization.

In the event of a change in the employee's full-time work schedule outside of the time frame set forth in Section 5.6, the Employer shall make a best effort but have no obligation to change the days of work, or the time for beginning or ending work on any day, then pertaining to such employee's work for the Employer.

5.9         Regular hours of work in the Business Departments Departments (Advertising Outside Sales, Inside Classified, Business Office and Circulation Department) shall end no later than 7:00 p.m.

Prior to Business Department(s) employees working shifts ending later than 5:00 p.m., the Employer and the Guild will meet to discuss safety measures.

Where practicable, employees in the Business Department(s) will be offered a choice of shift, based on seniority, in the event the Employer wishes to schedule such employees to work shifts ending later than 5:00 p.m.

ARTICLE VI

Expenses

6.1         The Employer will pay all authorized expenses incurred by the employees in the service of the Employer. Effective on the date of signing of this Agreement, the Employer will provide transportation for truck runs, down motor routes, skip runs and dispatch. Effective 9-15-93, the Employer will provide transportation for truck runs, down motor routes, weekend skip runs and dispatch, provided that employees may be required to use their personal vehicle for skip runs, down motor routes, and dispatch when the Employer's vehicle is not available.

It is agreed that employees who use their vehicles in the service of the Employer will not be required to transport newspaper vending racks, metal posts or any other material that cannot be secured in the trunk of the vehicle. Employees will not be required to operate vehicles in an unsafe manner.

Note:      When practicable the Company will endeavor to make available one vehicle for employee use in one-day emergency situations which may arise.

6.2         (a)          The Employer shall compensate employees for the use of an automobile in the service of the

Employer at the rate of twenty-nine cents ($.29) per mile effective with the ratification date of this Contract.

        It is further agreed that when the price of regular unleaded gasoline reaches eight cents ($.08) above the price of such gasoline on the date this Contract is ratified, based on averages for three Pottstown gasoline retailers selected by the parties and memorialized below, the Company will increase the prevailing rate in Section 6.2(a) by one-half cent ($.005) per mile. And for each subsequent eight cent ($.08) increase in the price of a gallon of such gasoline, the rate shall be increased by one-half cent ($.005).

If the price of such gasoline would decrease, then for each eight cent ($.08) decrease the mileage allowance will be reduced by one-half ($.005) cent per mile, but not below the prevailing base rate in Section 6.2(a).

The comparison and any subsequent changes to the reimbursement rates will be made quarterly (June 1, September 1, December 1, and March 1).

The retail price of the following three Pottstown gasoline retailers shall be averaged to determine future increases or decreases to the gasoline reimbursement spelled out above:

• Hess Station, Route 422, Douglassville, PA, Berks County
• Jack’s Coventry Coastal Mart, Route 100, South Hanover Street, Pottstown, PA, Chester County
• Turkey Hill Service Station, 2600 West High Street, Stowe, PA, Montgomery County

•         Any employee required to work ten and one-half (10½) hours or more on any day, shall have his/her

meal expense paid by the Employer, up to a maximum of $10.00 upon presentation of a receipt from the establishment the meal was purchased from. There shall be no reimbursement without receipts showing the amount, date and type of item bought. Receipts are to be turned in on a timely basis as per present practice regarding expenses.

ARTICLE VII

Holidays

7.1         The recognized holidays for employees shall be: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, or days celebrated as such.

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

7.2         For employees in the Editorial Department, no employee shall be scheduled to work more than three (3) holidays a year. If an employee is scheduled to work one of the holidays, the employee will receive another day off with pay as the holiday, scheduled by mutual agreement within thirty (30) days preceding or thirty (30) days following such holiday, and, in addition will receive time and one-half for all hours actually worked on the holiday.

7.3         Notwithstanding Section 7.2, an employee in the Editorial Department who is required to work more than three (3) holidays shall receive an additional day off per such holiday worked with pay, scheduled by mutual agreement, in addition to anything which the employee is entitled in Section 7.2.

ALL DEPARTMENTS: (EXCEPT EDITORIAL)

7.4         If an employee is scheduled to work one of the holidays, the employee will receive another day off with pay as the holiday, scheduled by mutual agreement within thirty (30) days preceding or thirty (30) days following such holiday, and, in addition will receive time and one-half for all hours actually worked on the holiday. Holidays in this instance do not include personal holidays or floating holidays.

7.5         Employees, including those employees in the editorial department, who have completed one year's employment or more with the Employer as of January 1st of each calendar year, shall receive three (3) floating holidays. Scheduling of these holidays, is by mutual agreement, and shall be agreed to at least ten (10) days in advance. In the event of an unanticipated bona fide emergency, a floating holiday may be scheduled by mutual agreement with less than ten (10) days advance notice.

        Should a holiday on which an employee is entitled to be free from work occur on one of such

employee's regular days off or during his vacation, said employee shall, within thirty (30) days preceding or thirty (30) days following such holiday be granted another day free from work (in addition to his regular days off and vacation) without deduction from his salary.

ARTICLE VIII

Vacations