It's time for furlough-cious volunteerism!
So you've got some (unpaid) time off. The five-day furloughs that PiPress Guild members recently approved as a gracious cost-cutting measure for their employer won't help balance their personal checkbooks, but the extra free time can still do some good.
How's that? By allowing you to help others!
Turn that frown upside down and check out some one-day and two-day volunteer opportunities around the Twin Cities.
UNITED WAY
United Way suggests that we go to the web site --
unitedwaytwincities.org -- and hit the "volunteer" button. There are
some needs up there now, and there will be even more next week when they
relaunch the site, new and improved. They welcome phone calls as well.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
The Catholic Charities web site is www.ccspm.org . In addition to the more
formal opportunities, the Catholic Charities folks said there are plenty
of one-time, or short-term, or when-you-can opportunities, and they
welcome phone calls, too. There's a phone number on the Web site.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Habitat for Humanity can always use help, too. You can check with their
volunteer coordinator Caleb Smith at caleb.smith@tchabitat.org
<mailto:caleb.smith@tchabitat.org> . His phone number is changing this
week, so an e-mail is best for now, he says.
HANDS ON TWIN CITIES
Hands On Twin Cities. You can sign up for their monthly newsletter of volunteer
opportunities if your furlough time doesn't work for you, but you'd like
to pitch in sometime in the future.
intro&_clearFlag=course,specialeventhttp://www.handsontwincities.org/projects/viewProject.php?_mode=project_
St. Paul Newspaper Guild
Post a Comment
We got the state grant for worker re-training!
If dead-tree newspapers are going to make it in the 21st century, newspaper employees are going to have to adapt to changing technology, and fast. The state of Minnesota heard the Guild's cry, and is here to lend a hand!
On Wednesday, Feb. 25, PiPress publisher Guy Gilmore sent around an email with encouraging news: the PiPress and Duluth News Tribune will share in a state grant for worker re-training. The training, still being developed, will be offered by the University of Minnesota and will have a computer / technology focus.
This highly competitive grant was made possible through months of Guild efforts, and we should all be very, very happy about it! Hundreds of workers will benefit. Details are on the horizon, but there's more background in ShopTalk, here:
http://www.shoptalknet.org/index.php?ID=6104
Gilmore concluded his email with a note on the recent furloughs, lay-offs, cost reductions and avoiding the path a certain competitor has taken:
"Over the course of the last year we have found ways to streamline the production process and to dramatically reduce newsprint costs while maintaining our print circulation volumes on key days such as Thursday, Friday and Sunday. We are now working on other efficiencies that could create additional significant expense reductions. In a business which devotes over half its expenses to payroll and benefits, it is not possible to achieve sustainability without consideration to staffing levels. And though we are smaller in number than we once were, and though we may have to become yet smaller over time, we always look elsewhere whenever possible. Furloughs help with that.
Above all, we must be committed toremaining a solvent business. Bankruptcy is not an acceptable option for the Pioneer Press. Thank you forall that you do for the good of the cause."
Pioneer Press has new unit co-chairs
The co-chairwomen plan to work on getting more members involved, and fostering better understanding of what the Guild is about and the value of a strong union.
Grundtner came to the Pioneer Press in March 2000 as a printer II in the typographical union. When a position opened in August 2000, she transferred into her current position as an ad production artist.
Grundtner became active in the Guild during negotiations for the 2002 contract, serving on the communications committee. She was involved in the Save the Pioneer Press campaign, participated in stewards training and has served on the recruitment committee. She is currently the recruitment chair, but is looking for a replacement because of her new responsibilities. She is also a Representative Assembly member.
Gottfried joined the Pioneer Press in July 2001 as an intern on the newsroom’s public safety/general assignment team. She was hired in November 2001 as a suburban reporter, covering Eagan, the Metropolitan Council and suburban growth. Gottfried has been covering St. Paul public safety since 2003.
Gottfried became active in the Guild after the 2002 negotiations, when she sent a letter to Tony Ridder, Knight Ridder’s CEO, about how the negotiations had been a “rude awakening” for a young reporter. “I’ve always thought that the need to make money could be reconciled with the noble profession of journalism,” Gottfried wrote. “I believe the pursuit of profits is undermining our pursuit of readers.” Ridder didn’t respond.
Gottfried was most recently the unit’s co-chair for news. An RA member for five years, Gottfried is the group’s editorial vice president. She has been involved in many unit committees and projects.
Please feel free to contact Grundtner or Gottfried at any time. Grundtner can be reached at gayle.grundtner@gmail.com or X2097. Gottfried can be reached at marahg@netzero.com or X5262.
Unit Chair Election
Nominations for Pioneer Press Unit Chair will be accepted at Noon, Monday, June 16, in the basement conference room. Election will follow if necessary.
The job ain't over until the paperwork is done
Here is the new contract in Adobe PDF format. (With apologies, as ever, to Rachel Stassen-Berger).
Here are the accompanying wage tables, also in PDF.
They'll be available on the sidebar after this post moves down the list, for your future reference.