Bargaining bulletin, Oct. 7: Guild negotiators and Company representatives continued talks regarding a proposed wage reduction for the BANG-East Bay unit Wednesday without reaching an agreement.

The Guild offered several alternative proposals, including one that would shave 2 percentage points from the Company’s pay cut plan by requiring employees to take one week of their vacation unpaid in 2010. Details of the plan would be worked out in later discussions.

Company representatives said they would respond by Monday. Parties are scheduled to meet again at 11 a.m. Monday.

(more…)

Bargaining bulletin, Sept. 30: Guild representatives met today with company officials to further discuss the proposed Oct. 12 and January pay cuts. We received some new information and responses to some of the ideas we presented during our initial discussions last Friday.

We have reached no agreements. Under the terms of our contract, the Company had to delay any pay cuts until October, and provide at least a two-week period to discuss alternatives, even though pay cuts were implemented in June for some non-union employees. If we do not reach an agreement in two weeks, the company can implement pay cuts on the same terms announced for non-union employees.

The talks are set to resume Wed., Oct. 7 in Oakland.

(more…)

Bargaining bulletin, Sept. 26: Representatives for the BANG-EB unit of the Media Workers Guild met Friday with company negotiators to discuss pay cuts proposed by management.

Under the contract ratified by our members in June, no pay cuts could be implemented before the Oct. 12 payroll period. As expected, management has moved forward with a plan to cut the pay of Guild-represented employees under the same terms already implemented in June for unrepresented employees.

The Guild has two weeks to offer alternatives to the cuts, and committee members began to do so Friday.

We objected to the need for any pay cuts, arguing it’s a mistake to further demoralize a workforce already battered by layoffs and benefit reductions at a time when the economic climate appears to be improving.

Assuming that some cost cuts may be needed, we made several suggestions on how to mitigate or avoid the salary reductions. The company has agreed to respond to the Guild’s suggestions by Wednesday.

Some of the alternatives we raised include:

(more…)

Update, Feb. 1: Hoping to help avoid further layoffs, Guild representatives on Friday agreed to allow the company to implement a one-week, unpaid furlough for union-represented employees at BANG-EB, the Monterey County Herald and the San Jose Mercury News.

Below, you’ll find answers to common questions about the upcoming furlough. If you have other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. As always, talk to any shop steward, or simply leave a comment here.

Thanks,

Sara Steffens
Chair, BANG-EB unit
California Media Workers Guild

Can I donate extra unpaid time to others?

Yes. At the bargaining table, the company agreed to allow employees to volunteer to take extra unpaid days, so that others who truly can’t afford this furlough can take less time off or none at all.

The easiest way to swap unpaid time is to make a deal with another bargaining unit member in your own department. You should work this out directly with the person, then go to your manager to get the OK. All time trades are subject to company approval, and will include consideration of whether the swap meets the company’s economic goals.

If you want to swap time, but can’t find someone to trade with, contact the Guild.

And let us know if this furlough presents dire financial difficulties in your household — we may be able to help.

(more…)

Jan. 28, 2009

California Media Workers Guild
San Jose Unit
Monterey County Herald Unit
Bay Area News Group-East Bay Unit

Management representatives of MediaNews Group issued statements today concerning a one-week unpaid furlough for all employees of the California Newspapers Partnership, including members of our bargaining units at the Monterey Herald, Mercury News and Bay Area News Group-East Bay by March 31. The timing and other details of any such unpaid furlough are subject
to negotiations.

We have previously scheduled bargaining sessions with the company for both the BANG-EB and San Jose units on Friday, Jan. 30. Based on today’s developments, we expect the furlough matter will be discussed at that time.

All of us are aware of the difficult economic climate affecting the newspaper industry in general and MediaNews in particular. We are committed to working cooperatively with any management committed to working with us.

As always, our primary goal is to minimize the impact of any cost-cutting on our memberships, and to enhancing job security in these difficult times.

Please contact your shop steward or unit officers if you have any questions or comments.

Jan. 28: An e-mail went out in our newsrooms today, announcing plans for an one-week, unpaid furlough for all workers at the Bay Area News Group-East Bay.

For members of our bargaining unit, such a move must be negotiated. We are scheduled to meet with the company Friday, when we expect to hear more details, including the financial reasons for the proposal.

In the meantime, please share your ideas, questions and concerns. Talk to any shop steward, leave comments after this post or e-mail me directly at modernsara@gmail.com.

The text of the e-mail is posted after the jump.

–Sara Steffens

(more…)