Detroit Newspapers, Maintenance Unit News & Information
Tom Conrad, Unit Chairperson
Harolyn Johnson, Vice Chairperson
Delegate to Representative Assembly: Jim Price
Maintenance Updates
FAQ’s About the Guild Pension Plan for Janitors
Posted: January 27, 2012
Some Guild members in the Maintenance Unit have recently asked questions concerning the amount of money that is contributed weekly by the Company on your behalf into The Newspaper Guild International Pension Plan. Here are some answers to your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):
Q-What is the current weekly contribution for each janitor in the Guild jurisdiction?
A-The Company must pay $56.00 per week in your name into the Guild pension plan.
Q-Weren’t all contributions frozen several years ago?
A-No. In early 2009, the Maintenance Unit voted, as did other union locals, to forego the scheduled 2% wage increase for 2009. This was in response to negotiations between the unions and the Company, which was pleading for financial relief because of the national financial crisis including the bankruptcy at General Motors and Chrysler.
Q-Did our agreement include the $1.00 Guild pension plan diversion that was pending for 2009?
A-Yes. Guild janitors had voted $1.00 per week diversions from their pay for each year of the three-year contract in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Because janitors didn’t get a 2% raise in 2009, the Guild agreed to forego the $1.00 per week diversion for that year. In 2007, the weekly pension contribution increased to $55.00. In 2008, it went to $56.00---the existing rate.
The $56.00 per week contribution will continue for the duration of the existing collective bargaining agreement, which expires Nov. 13, 2012.
Maintenance Agreement 2010-2012 PDF
Posted: January 11, 2012
