Loose Lips Sink Spirits
November 3, 2006

We have been hearing rumors of substantial layoffs at the Inquirer and other departments at Philadelphia Newspapers. All we know is what we have known – that  CEO/Publisher Brian Tierney sent a memo to employees more than a week ago saying there would be layoffs. He never said how many – and still hasn’t.

                                                            *

Here are the FACTS about layoffs.

The Company must notify the Guild in writing 30 days before a person is laid off . They have not done that.

Layoffs follow a procedure, which is outlined in Article 27 of the Guild Contract. You can search it on our website at www.local-10.com or you can refer to the lavender contract book.

There are a few exceptions, which are contained in the contract. There also are bumping rights.

If layoffs are announced, the Company must provide a seniority list. The Guild will comb through the list to make sure it is accurate. 

                                                            ***************************

ARTICLE 27—REDUCTION IN FORCE   27.1 Where the cause for dismissal is one other than the fault of the employees involved, such cause must be deemed good and reasonable. In addition the Employer must: give to the Guild a written notice, at least 30 days in advance, if practicable, but not less than 15 days, of its intention to institute dismissals, and shall, during the period before the dismissal becomes effective, engage in a reasonably full discussion with the Union over the proposed dismissal. The Employer shall make every reasonable effort to retain employees. These efforts shall include transferring employees with longer seniority to a group containing a position which the employee previously held.

The employee proposed for dismissal shall be the one who, in the group or groups in which it is necessary to reduce costs, has the least seniority. For the purpose of this article, seniority is defined as service in any capacity for the Employer and predecessor employers.

27.12 If an employee is displaced to either a lower or higher classification within a grouping, the employee’s rate of pay in the new classification will be based on current rates in that classification, except the adjustment shall not exceed two adjacent job groups (Group I-XV) in Article 11 of the contract. If the job is not included in the Group I-XV structure, the adjustment shall not be greater than 10%, higher or lower, than the employee’s current minimum. In cases where the employee’s adjusted rate of pay exceeds the contract minimum for that position, such employee’s rate of pay will not be increased until his/her rate is commensurate with the minimum for that classification. In cases where the employee’s adjusted rate of pay is less than the contract minimum for the position, the employee’s rate will be raised to the minimum of the new job’s position, effective two years from the date of displacement.

Direct questions to Voices@Local-10.com