Negotiators trade contract proposals, set July bargaining dates
June 29, 2007/Second bargaining session
MediaNews Group and Pioneer Press management representatives unveiled an initial contract proposal Thursday that, if enacted in its entirety, would dramatically alter the work life and employment benefits of 380 Guild-covered employees at the newspaper.
A list of company proposals is below. But among the widest reaching are: fewer health care options; the elimination of daily overtime; the elimination of minimum commissions for advertising sales reps; freezing future pension benefits (without mention of a 401(k) match); eliminating the Guild policy for sick time and short- and long-term disability, which would affect workers with serious illnesses and women who go on leave after childbirth; setting a lower top-tier wage for new hires; eliminating seniority protection from layoff; eliminating restrictions on the number of relatively inexperienced beginners the company can hire; and eliminating the “evergreen clause,” which extends contract provisions past the contract’s expiration so long as negotiations are continuing.
Company representatives said the changes are needed to reduce costs as the Pioneer Press navigates a difficult economic environment. MediaNews chief William Dean Singleton said the company also needs flexibility to use freelancers, stringers and additional sales staff, without contract limitations.
Pioneer Press employees serving on the Guild bargaining committee offered the company an open-ended proposal that highlights areas where, earlier this year, employees identified issues that hinder their efforts to serve the paper well.
“We think it essential that we have a discussion that focuses on this contract as it relates to the future of this business,” Guild Executive Officer Darren Carroll told company representatives. “We don’t see the contract as the problem.”
The Guild proposal includes provisions for the creation of a 401(k) match; improved vacation accrual and funeral leave; new and ongoing training for both evolving technology and existing systems; a provision to preserve the contract in the event the newspaper is sold; clarification of contract coverage for employees who work for twincities.com and niche publications; for voluntary buyouts to proceed any future layoffs; and for limitations on outsourcing work.
*** Guild contacts will distribute full copies of both proposals to members by July 3. ***
Here is an overview of the company’s proposal:
* Eliminate HealthPartners as a choice for health insurance coverage. All employees would be offered the same plan, which could be changed without negotiation with the Guild. (Under the current contract, employees who choose HealthPartners accept higher monthly premiums, while the company’s contribution to the premium is capped.)
* Reduce the amount of sick time and short- and long-term disability leave available to employees by eliminating the current Guild policy. The company did not immediately give details of the policy that would replace the Guild policy, other than to say it is the same as what is offered to non-union workers. These policies affect both people who have unexpected, serious illnesses and women who go on leave following childbirth.
* Eliminate the right to daily overtime. Overtime would only be paid only to employees who work more than 40 hours in one week.
* Eliminate “call-back” overtime, now available to employees called in to work for more than two hours on what had been a scheduled day off. The company wants to pay those employees only straight time.
* Freeze future accrual of pension benefits.
* Eliminate current vacation policy and replace with “earn-as-you-go” accrual. Under the current accrual policy: Employees in 2007 are earning vacation to be taken in 2008. This 2008 vacation time is yours; if you leave the company before the end of 2007, the company will pay you your accrued 2008 vacation along with any unused 2007 vacation. Under the company’s proposal: Employees would be earning 2007 vacation time in 2007; if you left before the end of the year, the difference between the amount of time taken and earned in a given year would be paid in — or, presumably, taken from — the employee’s last paycheck. Total accrued vacation is considered an accounting liability for the company; eliminating the policy results in a one-time savings.
* Allow for-cause drug testing.
* Allow sales representatives to be disciplined for not meeting sales goals.
* Eliminate the evergreen clause and add a clause that would give the company broad “management-rights” authority to set and change schedules, rules and assignments, without Guild involvement.
* Eliminate the restriction that prevents the company from making ownership of a car a condition of employment.
* Eliminate newsroom team leaders from Guild coverage.
* Exclude from union membership people who work for online and niche publications.
* Remove required preference for internal applicants when hiring.
* Remove the right of a Guild member to return to a previous position after being promoted to a job for which they are later deemed unqualified.
* Remove restrictions prohibiting the company from making a full-time position a part-time position without Guild agreement.
* Reduce the minimum level of required Guild membership in editorial and advertising departments.
* Eliminate provisions for minimum sales commissions and specified benefits for advertising staff.
* Reduce severance from 38 to 12 weeks and pay only to laid-off employees.
* Create a two-tier wage scale, under which new hires would reach top minimum pay after three years of service, not six. (Specific wages not yet offered.)
* Reduce mileage reimbursement to 35 cents per mile, from the IRS-determined level, now 48.5 cents per mile.
* Eliminate provision that prohibits reporters and photographers from being required to do each other’s work.
* Allow factors other than seniority to be taken into account when making layoffs.
* Eliminate restrictions on hiring freelancers and stringers.
* Eliminate health-care eligibility for future retirees.
Singleton and union negotiators emphasized their desire to move quickly toward a contract settlement. The company’s proposal was offered after he left the meeting. Because it represents such substantial changes to the current contract, however, Carroll told the company that its proposal conflicts with its desire to move fast toward a settlement.
The company was represented by Thom Fladung, Greg Mazanec, Marshall Anstandig, Marc Chrismer, Barb Cartalucca, Guy Gilmore and Dean Singleton.
The Guild was represented by Darren Carroll, Dave Noble, Duane Maxson, Lance Forys, Julie Forster, Meggen Lindsay, Jim Ragsdale, Jack Sullivan and Marilyn Clements.
The next bargaining date is scheduled for 1 p.m., Wednesday, July 18.
Jack Sullivan
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Reader Comments (1)
If I could vote vay or nay on any one part of the PPress proposal, I would STRONGLY oppose this:
"--- Cap salary scales at 3 years for any new hires who fall in the 0-3 years of experience range. What's different about this: Currently, most of the salary scales go from 0 to 6 years, with contractually set raises for each of those years."
It's basically a sneaky way of slashing our wages, instead of all at once, by creating two classes of reporters - the have somethings, and the have-much-less-of-something. It will make it hard to attract and retain top talent, create animosity between older reporters who have been here longer and younger new hires, and create much less cohesion among the staff.
And the Pioneer Press will cease to become a destination paper, and instead be the type of paper where reporters just pass through on their way to something bigger and better -- or on their way out of the industry.
Why would we possibly want to be the last stop shop for young talent unhappy about making so little money and finally calling it quits?
I worked at a newspaper without a set payscale, where reporters were paid different sums and raises were arbitrary. It created tension and petty jealousy, and did nothing for morale or productivity. Vote this down!