The NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia

Ratification vote postponed

July 16, 2010billrossInquirer

The contract ratification vote scheduled for Tuesday, July 20, at the Community College of Philadelphia has been postponed because of bankruptcy court activity.

The tentative agreements the Guild reached with PN Purchaser Co., L.L.C are conditioned upon the outcome of the bankruptcy proceedings currently pending with respect to administrative claims creditors may file on or before August 1.

Attorneys for the new company are preventing it from entering into any union contracts until after Judge Stephen Raslavich rules on the administrative claims, which is expected to occur shortly after an August 2 hearing. We will re-schedule a ratification vote after that time.

The terms and conditions of our tentative agreements will not change, only the date of ratification. If the contract is ratified it would go into effect upon closing on the sale, which is expected in late August. Until then, our current contract, and current pay levels, would remain intact.

We will be in touch with any developments in the ratification process.

In solidarity,
Dan Gross, President
Howard Gensler, Treasurer
Diane Mastrull, Unit Chair
Bill Ross, Executive Director, and the Executive Board of the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia/CWA Local 38010