JRC Bulletin.
November 18, 2009
Guild Members,
On November 17, 2009 The Newspaper Guild and The Delaware County Times have agreed to extend the current collective bargaining agreement for and additional 60 days, through January 25, 2010. Both sides have agreed to keep bargaining in good faith over the next 60 days, and all current terms of the contract remain in full force. If you have any questions, please call Bill Ross, Executive Director of the Guild.
In Solidarity,
Guild Bargaining Committee
Anthony Sanfilippo Unit Chairperson
Cindy Scharr Vice Chairperson
Rob Parent Secretary
Gil Spencer IV
Frank Leonetti
Suzanne Cavanaugh
Bill Ross
Executive Director
The Newspaper Guild/CWA of Greater Philadelphia Local 38010
1329 Buttonwood Street
Philadelphia, P.A. 19123
(215) 928-0118 office
(215) 928-9177 fax
(267) 240-8540 cell
bross@local-10.com
Ocober 30, 2009
TALKS GOING NOWHERE!
The Guild Bargaining Committee met with Daily Times publisher Frank Gothie Thursday afternoon in the second bargaining session – if one can call it that.
The last meeting between the two sides concluded with the guild asking the company to be more specific about their vague proposals that included a wage cut of undetermined proportions, a change in health care with the company having final say in the percentage breakdown on premium payments, and finally a proposed furlough (unpaid vacation) for up to two weeks.
The company returned to the table today without anything the Guild asked for.
Oh, they offered a few subtle changes to the proposal – namely that their proposal wouldn’t take effect until November 25th, rather than November 1st (no kidding, right?) and they added a few other words that changed the language of their proposals, but didn’t actually change the substance of it.
“I don’t know if I have anything more to give you because no one knows where the industry is headed,” Gothie said. “So, putting caps or limits on anything doesn’t make sense to us. I don’t think we can modify and restrict our position because we are in dire straights and have to be ready to turn on a dime. We’re seeing things we’ve never had to deal with. So, we wouldn’t be doing our job if we did it any other way.”
To which the guild told the company we wouldn’t be doing ours if we accepted their ridiculous proposals.
The one thing the company did do was provide the Guild with a comparative health care proposal between our current plan and the one the company has. The company’s plan would save singles and couples $22 and $32 a week respectively but would increase the costs for anyone with children as much as $47 a week. Oh, and the out of pocket expenses would double. These figures are also pre-premium increases that are expected (about 30%) come January 1.
This is also unacceptable.
The biggest problem the Guild had with the documentation provided by the company was the breakdown of what current members enrolled in the health plan are paying as part of the premium. While many members were under the impression that we were all paying 40 percent of our premium individually, Gothie told us that we only pay 40 percent collectively and that individuals are paying a varying percentage of their premium. What does that mean? Here, let’s spell it out:
Single folks (34 in all) are paying $71.93 a week, or 51 percent of your premium, not 40 percent.
The only folks actually paying 40 percent of their premium are parent/child (1 person) and husband/wife (9 in all).
The remaining 16 members who insure multiple children or families are paying slightly less than 40 percent.
The guild distinctly remembered bargaining an equal share into the contract. The company remembered otherwise. There is conflicting legalese written in our contract that supports both sides. (Gotta love lawyers who write in grey, not black and white).
After a lengthy caucus and a review of the entire insurance debacle with former Guild leader and negotiator Mary Lynn Wisniewski and long-time employee Frank Renzi, the Guild returned to the table with the company and expressed great displeasure in all of the proceedings – the confusion with the insurance, the lack of a response from the company to our request, and the continued crying poor by a company which still turns a profit at the Daily Times.
The only good to come out of the meeting was a verbal agreement by the company to plan on continuing to negotiate in good faith beyond November 25th if in fact bargaining were to extend beyond the date of the contract’s expiration.
However, the company showed no inclination on budging very far, if at all, beyond what they’ve already proposed.
“Unless there is an epiphany of revenue in the next few weeks, we have to be able to manage the expenses side of things quickly and in a viable manner,” Gothie said.
As far as the Guild is concerned, they’ll have to come up with another way, because this approach will never fly.
No new date was scheduled for negotiations, but both sides agreed to reconvene within the next two weeks.
In solidarity,
The Bargaining Team
Anthony Sanfilippo, Unit Chair, Editorial,
Cindy Scharr, Vice Chair, Editorial
Rob Parent, Sec/Treas, Editorial
Gil Spencer, At large, Editorial
Suzanne Cavanaugh, Advertising
Frank Leonetti, Circulation
Bill Ross, Newspaper Guild
October 13, 2009
First Negotiating Meeting
Newspaper Guild Local 10
Journal Register Co./Delaware County Daily Times
Oct. 13, 2009
Representing the Guild: Bill Ross, Executive Director, TNG-CWA 38010
Anthony SanFilippo, Unit Chairperson
Cindy Scharr, Unit Vice Chairperson
Rob Parent, Unit Secretary
Suzanne Cavanaugh
Representing JRC: Frank Gothie, Publisher, Daily Times
Diane Kennedy, administrative assistant
The Guild opened the session by presenting a modest proposal calling for: 1. A 2-year contract; 2. A wage increase of $40 across the board for Year 1 and 3 percent across the board in Year 2; 3. An increase to The Company's health care cost contributions to 65 percent; 4. For shift differential on weekends to go from just Sunday to Saturday and Sunday.
Mr. Gothie, on behalf of The Company, did not directly respond to the Guild proposals, instead prefacing The Company's own proposal with remarks about the state of the newspaper business, JRC's company-wide economic problems and a poor third-quarter financial performance of the Daily Times.
This is a byproduct of the state of the economy in general and more than significant slumps in advertising revenue, he said.
"We're looking at Quarter 4 as do or die," Gothie said. He then mentioned two price hikes in newsprint which, according to Mr. Gothie, will essentially raise the price of newsprint by 10 percent.
"WE're proposing these things we propose because we have a severe problem on our hands," Gothie said, "and we have to do something about it."
He characterized JRC as being in "survival mode" with its economic status.
He then presented a "proposal" that essentially was a request to extend the current Guild contract for another year, but with open-ended stipulations that call for the possibility of salary cuts, health care premium increases to Guild members and furloughs that would amount to two weeks of lost pay for Guild members.
The Company has tied these addendums to its request in with identical cost-cutting measures that would affect management workers ... though it didn't specify who or how many would be involved.
In fact, all of the addendums weren't detailed, and the Guild Bargaining Committee is considering the package to be a non-starter of a "proposal."
A copy of The Company's "proposal" is on the back of this report.
We are calling on The Company to come back with a more detailed and logically structured contract proposal rather than what they have presented to this point. We have scheduled another session for Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. Any and all Guild members are welcome to the meeting in the Daily Times Building conference room.
Thank You,
Guild Bargaining Committee
October 10, 2009
Norristown Contract extended 60 days until December 10, 2009,
while JRC continues reorganization from Chapter 11.
September 11, 2009
Pottstown Contract extended 60 days until November 11, 2009,
while JRC continues reorganization from Chapter 11.
May 29, 2009
Dear Guild member,
We would like to update you on recent arbitrations and grievance activity at both Philadelphia Newspapers and in the Journal Register Company units.
Arbitrations:
Congratulations to Linda LaRose, an advertising artist who was unjustly suspended without pay in 2006 and later terminated for allegedly posting fliers mocking Philadelphia Newspapers CEO Brian Tierney in the Broad Street building. LaRose was fired without good and reasonable cause, ruled an arbitrator, and this month was awarded reinstatement and full back pay. If you see Linda, please welcome her back to work.
Frank Leonetti, a part-time mailer at the Delaware County Daily Times was recently awarded back pay and increased hours by an arbitrator. The Guild had grieved over Leonetti’s regular hours being reduced and given to a newer and lesser-paid employee.
The Guild is awaiting an arbitrator’s decision on the improper demotion and subsequent termination of Inquirer sports columnist Stephen A. Smith. Over two days this month, an arbitrator heard arguments in the case from the Guild and from PN. We anticipate a positive outcome and hope to welcome Stephen back to work soon.
Grievances:
The Guild has filed a grievance over the hiring of Paul Moore as an exempt editor in the Inquirer newsroom. Last year a Company official told the Guild that there were too many managers, not too few, at the Inquirer, which has lost more than 100 members through layoffs. Moore is replacing longtime Guild member Terry Bitman as assistant metro editor, a position that through established past practice is a Guild job. The Guild position is that Moore is welcome as a member but should not be an exempt manager.
The Guild has filed a grievance over a leave of absence request by Inquirer reporter Carlin Romano that was denied by PN. According to our contract, an unpaid leave is to be granted “if practicable.” The Company deemed Romano’s request, not practicable, despite having recently encouraged another Inquirer reporter to go on a similar leave.
We thank the Guild's Executive Board and Attorney Neal Goldstein for their success and continued determination to defend the rights of our members and preserve and protect our collective bargaining agreements.
In solidarity,
Dan Gross
President
TNG-CWA Local 38010
DGross@local-10.com
Bill Ross
Administrative Officer
TNG-CWA Local 38010
BRoss@local-10.com
February 23, 2009
Dear Guild Member,
As you all should be aware, Philadelphia Newspapers, ("PN"), the owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer and The Daily News, and The Journal Register Company, ("JRC") owners of the Delaware County Times, The Pottstown Mercury, and the Norristown Times Herald, have filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection.
As hard as it may sound, please stay calm. The companies are still in business, the papers are still publishing and you should still report for work.
Here is what this means to our members and how the filings affect our contracts:
The Chapter 11 Bankruptcy process is intended to permit a company to continue in operation by restructuring its contractual and financial obligations. Because Guild members provide essential services, your wages and benefits under our collective bargaining agreement for services rendered, after the petition was filed, will continue to be honored.
Before PN, or JRC can take any action to modify any of their obligations under our contracts they must negotiate in good faith with the Guild and prove that the contract changes they may seek are necessary to permit the reorganization and prevent the liquidation of the enterprises.
The Guild Executive Board has already taken steps to assure that we obtain all of the bankruptcy filings. We will monitor the proceedings and take appropriate action to enforce our collective bargaining agreements and protect your rights.
Even though a bankruptcy petition has been filed:
* Our contracts remain in full force;
* Your wages and benefits will continue to be paid;
* We retain the right to grieve and arbitrate contract disputes; and
* No unilateral changes to our contracts can be implemented without prior negotiations.
If the Employers request that we meet to negotiate contract modifications, we will, of course, immediately notify you of any such negotiations. As in all collective bargaining situations, we will bring any tentative agreements involving modifications/changes to our contracts to the members for ratification. In addition, we will keep you advised of all developments during the bankruptcy, especially any events that involve the Guild contracts, your rights, and the Employers obligations pursuant to it.
The Guild's Executive Committee will convene in an emergency board meeting at 10 a.m. Monday and will issue further news as we have it. In the meantime, members may contact the Guild office at 215-928-0118 or Administrative Officer Bill Ross at 267-240-8540 or e-mail bross@local-10.com.
In solidarity,
Dan Gross
President
TNG/CWA 38010
dgross@local-10.com
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