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NEW! Free Press Guild Bargaining Bulletin No. 3 (05/04/07)
NEW! Free Press Guild Bargaining Bulletin No. 2 (12/14/06)
NEW! Free Press Guild Bargaining Bulletin No. 1 (12/07/06)
Free Press Reporter / Photographer Grievance
Free Press Staffers Get 2% Guild Raise Jan. 16th
FAQ's About the Guild Pension Plan for Free Press Editorial Staff
Free Press Guild Contract 2003-2007 (Link will open in a new window)
Printable Free Press Guild Contract (.pdf format) (Right-click on the
link and select "Save target as...")
A Message For Non-Members at the Free Press
May 4, 2007
FREE PRESS GUILD BARGAINING BULLETIN
NO. 3
The Guild and the other members of the Metropolitan Council of Newspaper
Unions return to the bargaining table May 10-11th with the expectation
that we are headed into a crucial round of negotiations with the Company.
While we have resolved a number of contractual issues, there are still
some key items pertaining to the Free Press Guild contract, which
remain open including merit pay, sick leave, mileage, shift differential
and pension benefits.
Merit Pay
Gannett remains adamant about having only a merit pay system without
any across-the-board pay increases. At the April 19th bargaining session,
the Guild told the Company that our review of current Free Press pay
scales reveals that men make an average of $10,000 more per year than
women. Men also receive 28 of the 40 top salaries. Conversely, 35
of the 50 people at the bottom of the pay scale were women. Company
officials said such disparities reflect the previous Knight Ridder
management and that merit pay will correct any gender shortcomings.
We continue to press for some type of across-the-board raise while
converting to a merit only system.
Sick Leave
Gannett is insisting on replacing the current Free Press sick leave
with the same sick leave currently in the Detroit News contract. Under
the Company proposal, employees would receive only seven paid sick
days per year for occasional illness. After that, they would be eligible
for Short Term Disability (STD) paid leave based on years of service
to a maximum of 25 weeks. Before the STD would start, an employee
could go five days without pay unless they had unused accrued sick
days or vacation days. However, a young woman with only several years
service at the Free Press, who goes on maternity leave, would only
be eligible for 60% of their weekly pay to a maximum of 25 weeks.
Currently, the STD at the News only provides for 100% pay only after
six years of service. We proposed more paid occasional sick days and
other options for covering the five-day gap before STD benefits begin.
Mileage
Gannett is currently proposing a mileage reimbursement of 33.5 cents
per mile. The existing mileage rate of 32 cents per mile has remained
unchanged since 1991. The Company has called its mileage reimbursement
"very fair." We disagree. We gave numerous examples of other
newspapers paying more mileage to employees.
Pensions
Gannett has remained hostile to increasing pension benefits despite
the fact that the Free Press-Guild defined benefit pension plan is
over-funded by about 36%. Since the plan is flush with cash, the Guild
has proposed a modest increase in the benefit formula that would increase
pensions and reduce the over-funding amount. Because of over-funding,
the Company has effectively avoided making any pension contributions
for the past 10 years.
Shift Differential
Gannett is demanding an end to any shift differential pay for those
working evening or night shifts. This despite the fact that some supervisors
have used the current shift differential as a recruiting tool for
some staffers.
Your Guild Bargaining committee is concerned that Gannett's bargaining
demands, particularly the concessions on sick leave, shift differentials,
merit pay and significantly higher health insurance co-payments will
pose dramatic economic burdens on employees, particularly younger
female staffers who tend to use sick leave and health coverage more
often for medical events such as maternity leave. These cost shifts
come at a time when the Free Press staff is becoming predominantly
female.
Please share your concerns with your supervisors. Now is the time
to tell the Company if you think these concessions are unwarranted
or unfair. The Guild Free Press Committee also wants to hear from
you before the next round of meetings. You can e-mail us at the following
addresses: Jocelyn Faniel-Heard, JocelynF2@yahoo.com;
John Gallagher, Jtgallag@comcast.net;
Patty Montemurri, MONTEM8@aol.com;
David Ashenfelter, Ashenf@ameritech.net;
Diane Weiss, dt_weiss@hotmail.com;
and Lou Mleczko, Lou@detroitguild22.com.
We will keep you informed.
In Unity,
Jocelyn Faniel-Heard, Unit Chairperson; John Gallagher, Patricia
Montemurri, David Ashenfelter, Diane Weiss, Lou Mleczko, President,
Local 34022
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December 14, 2006
FREE PRESS GUILD BARGAINING BULLETIN
NO. 2
The Guild had its second bargaining session with the Company on Monday,
December 11. Again, no member of Free Press editorial management attended.
We pursued a detailed discussion and exploration of the issues on
the table, including the Company's proposed contract concessions.
The Company withdrew its proposal that the Company can establish
four-day work-weeks for any employee.
Layoffs by Seniority
The Company proposes to exempt many positions, full and part-time,
from the contract clause requiring layoffs by seniority. We asked
who and which positions would be exempt. The Company said it could
include full or part-time investigative reporters, critics, specialty
writers, key people who draw readers, and people with photo and artistic
skills. We asked whether the Company was making this proposal because
it was contemplating layoffs, and the Company said no.
The Guild's position is that the proposal is extremely vague and
could effectively eliminate seniority. Seniority is an important contract
principle, and seniority must be very carefully defined.
Union Information Requests
We continue to seek information regarding the Company's proposed
concessions on eliminating across-the-board wage increases, eliminating
shift differential, eliminating daily overtime, eliminating the clause
saying that 6 hours of work on a holiday shall constitute a day's
work, eliminating double-time pay for all work after 6 hours on a
holiday. The Company said it does not have the information and is
still working on compiling it.
The Guild wants to know the rationale for the proposed concession,
the amount of savings the Company is seeking on each concession and
the effect on employees' earnings.
Pension
Because the Guild/Free Press pension plan is healthy and well-funded,
the Guild made a proposal to increase pension benefits for future
retirees. The Guild and the Company agreed that we would have the
actuary cost out the increased benefits the Guild is seeking, so that
we have a better framework for the bargaining.
Reasons for Concession Demands from Company
The Guild pursued the issue of why the Company is seeking contract
concessions and how much. In our bargaining session, the Guild laid
out several principles regarding "concession bargaining".
- Financial context
Most concession bargaining occurs with financially distressed
employers. The Detroit Free Press, Inc. and Gannett have provided
no information indicating financial distress. The Company simply
states that newspaper companies have been sold or broken up, the
economy is bad, some advertisers have pulled out, advertising is
down, Gannett's stock value is down, and a Time magazine article
indicated that newspapers have no future. At the same time, the
Company is not pleading poverty; it is not saying it cannot afford
to maintain the current pay and benefits. The Guild's position is
that in the absence of detailed financial information - the specific
impact of the economic factors on this employer - it is extremely
difficult if not impossible to agree that concessions are warranted.
- Lack of priorities
In concession bargaining, employers usually make it
clear what their real and legitimate needs are, with a clear indication
of priority. The Company has not done that. It has demanded concessions
across the board, on health care, wages, overtime and many other
items. The Company wants it all. In the absence of financial information
on the impact of each concession, and some understanding of the
priority, it is not clear why the Guild and the employees should
be required to give up pay and benefits.
- Shared sacrifice
When asked for concessions, unions want to know whether
the pay and benefits of non-represented employees are being reduced
also. They want to know that concessions in a 3-year collective
bargaining agreement are not just used to improve the pay, bonuses,
benefits and working conditions of supervisors and managers. This
is the Guild position.
Guild Position
We informed the Company that these issues regarding the overall
context of concession bargaining must be addressed. Otherwise, the
Guild has no option but to assume that the Company can afford a good
contract. This is especially true in light of the following:
Business Week reports that Ed Walczak of Vontobel Asset Management,
has acquired a 2% stake in Gannett. He is a "Warren Buffett-style
value investor". He expects Gannett's stock to go from $59 to
the mid-70's in about 12 months from now - right in the middle of
our contract. Walczak obviously sees a future in newspapers.
Reuters reported on December 6 that Gannett will meet Wall
Street forecasts on share earnings for the fourth quarter. For 2007,
Gannett "should see advertising revenues rise with a slight drop
in circulation revenues."
For all these reasons and more, the Guild is resisting the Company's
demands for concessions laid out in the December 7 Bulletin.
We will be scheduling additional bargaining sessions, probably after
the holidays. We will keep you posted.
HAVE A GOOD HOLIDAY SEASON.
GUILD FREE PRESS BARGAINING COMMITTEE
Jocelyn Faniel-Heard, Unit Chairperson; Patty Montemurri,
John Gallagher, David Ashenfelter, Diane Weiss, Lou Mleczko, Local
34022 President & Duane Ice, Guild attorney
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December 7, 2006
FREE PRESS GUILD BARGAINING BULLETIN
NO. 1
The Guild had its first bargaining session with the Company on Tuesday,
Dec. 5th. We are bargaining a new collective bargaining agreement
to replace the one expiring on January 14. The Guild Free Press committee
includes Unit Chairperson Jocelyn Faniel-Heard, Patty Montemurri,
John Gallagher, Diane Weiss, David Ashenfelter, Local 22 President
Lou Mleczko and Attorney Duane Ice. The Company was represented by
Gannett's John Jaske, Kristi Bowden, V.P. Human Resources for Detroit
Newspapers and Kirsten Starkey, Employee Relations Detroit Newspapers.
At this first meeting, we exchanged initial contract proposals. The
Company presented a staggering list of proposed concessions on wages,
benefits and working conditions.
Company Concession Demands
The Company is demanding more than two dozen changes to the Guild
contract including:
- Eliminate daily overtime
- Eliminate most shift differential pay
- Allow part-time employees to replace full-time employees
- Reduce or eliminate existing job classifications and pay
levels
- Require employees to perform multiple tasks without limitations
or pay adjustments
- Eliminate work jurisdiction and allow Company to give employees'
work to others, inside or outside the Company
- Eliminate across-the-board wage increases. Replace with
merit pay only
- Company can issue paychecks every two weeks instead of
weekly
- Eliminate 7.5-hour work day and allow Company to establish
work days of any length
- Establish separate seniority lists and layoff rights for
"senior writers" and columnists
- Reduce the maximum for severance pay from 40 weeks to 26
weeks
- Eliminate union security
The Company claimed that its financial condition and the decline
in the Michigan economy warranted the concessions. The Guild requested
information concerning how much each concession would save the Company.
The Company said it had not done any cost analysis of its proposals
and had no specific data to support the concessions being sought.
The Company admitted that it was profitable and was not pleading poverty
in bargaining a new contract. However, they made it clear they want
to make employees work harder and longer for less pay and benefits.
These demands for concessions are in addition to the Company's proposed
changes to health insurance benefits that were presented last week.
These included much higher monthly premium co-pays, new annual deductibles,
higher drug co-pays, spouse and smoker surcharges, higher co-pay for
office visits, emergency room, urgent care and hospital admissions.
For most Free Press employees, the Company is demanding that you pay
20% of the monthly insurance premiums, increasing 2.5% each year.
(Check the Council of Unions' November
29 Bulletin for more details).
Guild Position
The Guild position is that the Company has not made the case for
concessionary bargaining. In the absence of real data, we must assume
that Gannett's operations in Detroit are profitable, and that it can
afford a decent contract and to maintain good benefits. This must
be true, since Gannett increased its holdings in Michigan (Free Press/Detroit
Newspapers and Suburban Communications). Regarding the Company's demands
on multi-tasking in work assignments, we said our fundamental concern
is the open-ended approach the Company is demanding. The Company proposal
would allow it to assign any work to anyone irregardless of job classification,
training and background.
Guild Proposals
The Guild made a modest number of initial contract proposals including:
- Across-the-board annual wage increases as in the past,
to help meet the cost of living
- Merit pay over and above the annual increases
- Increase the mileage reimbursement rate
- Increase the pension benefit formula
- Maintain existing health insurance benefits and cap the
current employee co-payments
- Add paid holidays - Martin Luther King Day, Christmas Eve
and New Year's Eve
The Guild is going to resist the concessions demanded by the Company.
They would be harmful to all Free Press employees. We need you to
understand what is at stake and stay informed of what is going on.
The next Free Press bargaining session is December 11. We will keep
you posted. Thank you for your support.
GUILD FREE PRESS BARGAINING COMMITTEE
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June 5, 2006
FREE PRESS REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER GRIEVANCE
The Guild has filed a grievance charging that the Free Press has
violated the union contract by unilaterally assigning photo work
to reporters and reporter work to photographers.
Article III and Article XIII of the Guild contract specifies the
separate job classifications of reporters and photographers and
the pay those staffers are entitled to receive. If the Company creates
a new job or classification, or if they modify an existing job significantly,
the contract requires the Company to meet with the Guild to determine
the appropriate rate of pay and the method in which new equipment
and processes are issued to employees.
Meanwhile, it is important that employees covered by the Guild
contract understand some of the key issues that are intertwined
with these work assignments.
For reporters, the Company is issuing cameras to take photographs
for the newspaper and for the Free Press web site. This is a substantive
change in work responsibilities, and it could impact future rates
of pay, performance evaluations and minimum job requirements.
Among the questions the Guild is asking include: What changes are
being made in reporters' duties? What new equipment will reporters
be required to use and what training will they receive in using
this new equipment? What new work tasks? What software?
Regarding minimum performance requirements, what will be the standards
and expectations for reporters taking photographs as part of their
assignments? Will reporters be disciplined or threatened with discharge
for not taking photographs acceptable to the Company?
Similar issues will be affecting photographers. Will photographers
be graded on their interviewing abilities? Will photographers receive
training regarding use of audio equipment? What training will photographers
get concerning issues of libel, attribution of sources and how audio
recordings will be prepared for the newspaper and the web site?
Will photographer performance reviews rate staffers on interviewing
abilities, story ideas, use of direct quotes and attribution and
other related journalism requirements?
Originally, supervising editors told staff that use of cameras
and digital audio recorders was optional for reporters and photographers.
Now, we are being told that this type of work isn't optional. Related
issues include: staffers being assigned to appear on television
or on the radio; overtime pay for interviews conducted from home;
protection of confidential sources or material exclusively obtained
only for the Free Press.
The Guild isn't opposed to using new technologies and processes.
Our motto is: "The union for the information age." However,
there are profound and substantial issues confronting all of us
in using the newspaper, the Internet and broadcast media as part
of our journalistic responsibilities. The Guild wants to make sure
that all of the employees we represent are treated fairly and compensated
justly for their changing roles as journalists, whether it is photo,
print or on-line.
We will keep you informed as we engage management on these important
issues.
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January 16, 2006
FREE PRESS STAFFERS GET 2% GUILD RAISE JAN. 16TH
On Jan. 16th, all Free Press staffers working in the Guild's jurisdiction
will receive a 2% pay raise. This across-the-board wage increase
for all editorial employees currently on the payroll is the third
and final wage hike as required by the Guild contract with the Free
Press.
The Guild contract expires Jan. 14th, 2007. Our success in achieving
benefit improvements for you is greatly dependent on the number
of Guild members we have in the editorial department. If you haven't
joined yet and you want to have a voice in your future, now is the
time to join the Guild. Unit Chairperson Jocelyn Faniel-Heard or
one of our stewards can provide you informational materials about
Guild membership.
A solid majority of your editorial colleagues are dues-paying
members. Don't be a free-rider. Join the Guild today!
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August 19, 2005
FAQ'S ABOUT THE GUILD PENSION PLAN FOR FREE PRESS
EDITORIAL STAFF
"The Free Press/Guild Pension Plan is in the best financial
shape of all the plans Mercer handles here in Michigan" - Michael
G. Baker, William M. Mercer Co.
Best shape indeed! Free Press staffers covered by the Guild contract
have an excellent defined benefit pension plan. Here are some Frequently
Asked Questions about your Guild pension plan.
What is a defined benefit pension plan?
Unlike 401-K's, the Guild/Free Press defined benefit pension
plan provides specific retirement benefits determined by a formula
based on an employee's years of service, the participant's age and
the salary earned by the employee. At the Free Press, you are covered
by the Detroit Free Press/Newspaper Guild of Detroit Pension Plan
(The Plan), which has been in effect since 1966. Currently, there
are 213 retirees receiving benefits, 560 former employees have deferred
benefits and 264 active participants.
What does the Detroit Free Press pay into the plan? When are
you eligible to receive benefits? What is the normal retirement
age?
Currently, the plan's assets exceed liabilities to the extent that
The Plan isn't eligible for IRS tax exempt status. As a result,
the Free Press isn't required to make a weekly contribution of $28.65
per employee. The current market value of assets is about $68 million
while liabilities are more than $50 million, resulting in about
a $13 million financial cushion. Mercer, The Plan administrator,
believes company contributions aren't projected for the next five
years. Employees become vested in The Plan after five years of full-time
employment. Normal retirement age is 62 but earlier benefits can
be drawn at reduced amounts.
Do you have to be a Guild member to participate in The Plan?
No. Editorial employees working in the Guild's jurisdiction
are covered by The Plan regardless of membership status. However,
only Guild members can vote on pension improvements such as wage
diversions or contract negotiated changes. The more members we have,
the better opportunity we have to maintain and improve the benefits.
Without the Guild, the company would be free to eliminate this important
benefit. So, don't be a "free rider." Help support the
Guild in representing you.
Who handles plan investments? How are they doing?
The Plan is a jointly-managed defined benefit pension plan with
both the Guild and management having an equal voice on the Board
of Trustees. Union trustees are: Jocelyn Faniel-Heard, Unit Chairperson
and Treasurer; John Gallagher, Free Press business reporter; and
Lou Mleczko, President of Guild Local 22. Management trustees are:
Randi Austin, Senior Vice-President Labor Relations and Human Resources
for the Detroit Newspaper Partnership; two other seats are currently
vacant.
As of March 31, 2005, 47.9% of fund assets were invested in equities;
41.8% in bonds; 9.5% real estate; and 0.7% cash. Total assets annual
investment return for the past 12 years has averaged 10.4%. The
Plan's investment managers are supervised by the Marco Consulting
Group of Chicago. Equity managers Forstmann-Leff, large cap growth;
LSV Asset Mgt, large cap value; Dimensional Fund Advisors, small
cap growth; Delaware Investments, international equity managers;
JP Morgan Fleming Asset Mgt, fixed income; American Realty Advisors,
Building Investment Trust, real estate equity.
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A Message For Non-Members at the Free Press
The Newspaper Guild of Detroit invites you to join your union,
Local 34022, and share in the benefits and responsibilities of membership.
The dedication and efforts of members of Local 34022 are the reason
you enjoy certain benefits and rights at the Free Press. Job security,
paid health insurance, severance pay – all of these things and more
came as the result of a collective bargaining agreement the local
negotiated with the newspaper’s owners.
In today’s business climate, only the continued strong existence
of The Guild allows you and your coworkers to have these benefits.
Companies such as Knight-Ridder, Gannett and others answer to Wall
Street rather than to newspaper readers and advertisers would gladly
take money from you to pay their shareholders.
Without a union, what would working conditions be like at the Free
Press? Perhaps you have worked at non-union newspapers elsewhere,
so you know how people can be fired without just cause, how salaries
and benefits can be changed at the owner’s whim, how personality
conflicts with a supervisor can make your work life miserable.
On the other hand, because of its contractual relationship with
its employees, the Free Press must offer you guaranteed wages and
increases, health insurance paid for by the company, severance pay
and a grievance procedure that allows employees to fight unjust
disciplinary action or right other wrongs in the workplace, among
other things.
We are a democratic organization where rank-and-file members, including
many of your coworkers, call the shots. The contract applies to
all employees in the bargaining unit – but only members may participate
in negotiations and only members are eligible to vote for or against
a contract. Membership gives you a voice in your workplace.
The Guild’s ability to bargain and service the contract depends
entirely on the dues paid by Guild members. A strong, united active
membership is the key to maintaining and improving wages and benefits
in future contracts.
To remain strong, The Guild needs your support. Join the union
today. Just fill out the membership application card and the dues
check-off card (this allows the paper to automatically deduct your
dues from your paycheck and saves you the trouble of having to mail
or hand-deliver your dues each month) and give them to your steward
or unit officer. They are listed on the Guild bulletin boards found
in your department.
If you have any questions, please call Lou Mleczko, Local 34022
president, at (313) 963-4254, or e-mail him at lou@detroitguild22.com.
Or contact any of the unit officers or your steward. Also, take
a moment to check out our web site, www.detroitguild22.com,
to learn more about us.
We look forward to you becoming an active member, interested in
having a say in your work life.
In solidarity,
Newspaper Guild of Detroit
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