Bargaining Bulletin, Nov. 19: We reached tentative agreement with management’s bargaining team Wednesday on job security and grievance arbitration procedures that will protect employees once our contract is ratified.

The company agreed to lay off employees for business reasons only, providing two weeks notice (or two weeks pay) to those targeted. We continue to negotiate severance terms for the future contract.

The terms clarify that company intends to decide which employees to lay off based on individual qualifications, length of service, performance and the ability to perform remaining work. In another tentative agreement, the company agreed to rehire laid-off workers if they qualify for jobs open within six months.

Only disciplinary grievances involving discharge will be subject to binding arbitration, the costs of which will be borne equally by the Guild and the company. Terms of discipline and discharge remain under negotiation.

Representing the Guild: Sara Steffens, chair of the BANG-EB guild unit; Karl Fischer, vice-chair; bargaining committee members Cecily Burt, Eric Louie and Jeremiah Oshan; Carl T. Hall, Northern California Media Workers, Luther Jackson, San Jose Guild; Darren Carroll, CWA-TNG.

Representing the Company: Marshall Anstandig, general counsel; Laurie Fox, human resources; Jim Janiga, senior vice president.

A Guild can bargain most terms of employment: minimum pay scales, health
benefits, sick and vacation time, night differentials, mileage reimbursements
and more. We can’t predict results of our negotiation because it’s a give-and-
take process, but you can bet that any guild contract will: (more…)