St. Paul Guild

*** REMINDER – UNIT MEETING *** THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 5:15 P.M. ***

*** Hilton Garden Inn St. Paul City Center ***

*** See here for directions ***

Neither corporate nor Guild negotiators offered a contract proposal during the first 2007 Pioneer Press bargaining session, which lasted about an hour late Wednesday afternoon.

The two sides did give general descriptions of their initial formal proposals, which will be exchanged at their second bargaining session. A date for that meeting was not chosen Wednesday.

For their part, company representatives said they will seek to reduce the benefits enjoyed by union members so they are the same as those offered to non-union Pioneer Press managers and employees.

This would mean: HealthPartners health insurance would no longer be offered; employees would pay 30 percent of the premium for the UnitedHealthcare coverage options that remain; long- and short-term disability leave would be reduced; no medical coverage would be offered to future retirees; and future pension benefit accrual would be frozen for all employees.

Additionally, Labor Relations Director Marc Chrismer said the company will seek to reduce the severance benefit owed to terminated employees “quite a bit” from the current 38-week cap. He said the company only wants to pay severance to employees who lose their job due to layoffs.

Chrismer also said the company wants to take newsroom team leaders out of the Guild, along with employees who work for “new business ventures.” Additionally, the company wants to eliminate provisions that restrict the company from hiring freelance writers and that affect commission salespeople. Details were not offered.

The Guild proposal will be open-ended and go beyond a defense of previously won provisions of the current contract, Executive Officer Darren Carroll said. Rather, the Guild proposal will identify areas where the two sides need to find common solutions to the problems facing the Pioneer Press in its current environment.

Carroll told the company the Guild’s proposal was based on “an unprecedented level of preparation” by unit leaders and members.

The proposal is framed by the concerns and priorities expressed by Guild members during three dozen small group meetings held with unit leaders this past spring.

For example, Carroll said the union will describe barriers to productivity identified by members; explain the desire for training throughout the Pioneer Press; and explain the difficulty employees say they face when trying to focus on work in an environment of uncertain job security.

Neither side delved into economic provisions -- such as wages -- which are often prepared and presented separately, after initial proposals are offered.

Bargaining Committee Member Jim Ragsdale, a longtime reporter now working as a writer for the editorial page, presented an opening statement to company negotiators on behalf of Guild members. He said:

“We’d like to begin with the Par Ridder case, which was an important event for us. We thank you for standing up for the Pioneer Press after Par’s defection and thefts and lies. This legal battle could turn out to be one of our newspaper's finest moments.

“It has given all of us a sense of pride and of unity … which we hope will carry over into these negotiations. Because we face common threats: a time of change in the business and the continuing competitive pressures of the Twin Cities market. And we all want the same thing: for the Pioneer Press to grow and prosper and remain a good place to work, as it has been for generations.

“The people before you, and the people we represent, are hardy survivors of these dramatic changes. We’ve been through waves of cutbacks. Decades of experience have been lost. A large part of our corporate personality is gone. We grieved those losses … and moved on. And we have chosen to stay and fight for a newspaper we believe in. Just like (MediaNews) is fighting for the newspaper we all believe in.

“We have already paid a price for our company's decision to make itself smaller.

“Many of us are doing several jobs or have been moved to previously unfamiliar turf. That’s a challenge we’ve willingly taken on. I’m the lone editorial writer in an office that had five writers a few years ago. I’m doing the work of several people. I love my job and am proud of what we have done. I alone have helped the company save hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in salary and benefits. My salary and benefits have not improved.

“That spirit has been repeated throughout the Pioneer Press -- including on the management side. It’s what has sustained us and kept our circulation figures growing at a time when most newspapers are losing the battle.

“We've shown that we can adapt and move quickly … and we're ready for the next wave. We want to push the Pioneer Press into new and innovative ventures. We want to look forward, not backward. Our initial proposal will reflect this. We hope these negotiations can be more than a fight over costs and fair treatment. We hope we can have an open exchange of ideas that will focus on our common future.

“We know there are no pots of gold right now. We know this newspaper has done better than most, particularly in holding its circulation against the national trends. We begin these negotiations today as a group that has weathered harsh times with grace, loyalty and diligence. We have done all you ask. We have, as I said, already paid dearly for these changes. The people we represent -- the people who continue to fight for Minnesota' oldest and most beloved newspaper in one of the nation's most literate communities -- deserve to be treated respectfully and fairly. Thank you.”

The Guild was represented by executive officer Darren Carroll; editorial employees Alex Friedrich (unit chairman), Jim Ragsdale, Julie Forster, Meggen Lindsay and Jack Sullivan; circulation employees Duane Maxson and Lance Forys; advertising sales representative Dave Noble; and Guild office manager Marilyn Clements.

The company was represented by Marshall Anstandig, vice president of labor relations for MediaNews Group; Marc Chrismer, Pioneer Press labor relations director; and Editor Thom Fladung. Advertising Director Greg Mazanec also will participate in future negotiations, Anstandig said.