Contract 2000

Five days before going to trial on 47 federal charges of violating labor law, the Journal tonight made the Guild a new contract offer.

The Guild's Executive Committee, which met in an emergency session tonight, was pleased that the company has shown an interest in negotiating, but had many questions about the one-page proposal.

The committee decided to ask the National Labor Relations Board to postpone the trial for a maximum of two days. We are asking the company to join us in two days of round-the-clock negotiations. This will permit us to gain a better understanding of the proposed terms and work out our differences.

These are the terms of the company's proposal.

1. "A contract term through Dec. 31, 2005."

2. "In lieu of wage increases for the year 2000, a lump sum cash bonus equal to 2 percent of the year 2000 straight-time earnings, payable to each current bargaining unit member." In 2000, nonunion employees received a 3 percent raise plus a 2.75 percent bonus. The company's previous contract proposal called for a 3 percent increase during that year. Later, the company took the 3 percent off the table in retaliation for Guild activities. This "regressive bargaining" is the subject of one of the unfair-labor-practice charges that the company faces. The new proposal thus would give us back part of what the company took off the table.

3. "A 3 percent across-the-board wage increase Jan. 1, 2001 with retroactivity payable on straight-time earnings to each current bargaining unit member." This is the same as the company's previous offer, except that former employees would not get retroactive pay and back pay would not include overtime.

4. "For the year 2002, a wage freeze has been applied to all company employees."

5. "Effective Jan. 1, 2003 through the contract termination on Dec. 31, 2005, the company will adjust wages for Guild bargaining unit members on the same basis as recently agreed to by the Teamsters and the Pressmen's Union." The Guild does not know the wage provisions of the Pressmen's and Teamsters' contracts. In the past the Pressmen have agreed to accept whatever wage increases were granted to nonunion employees. Is the company proposing that after Jan. 1, the company will decide on its own whether it will give raises and how much they will be?

6. "Effective Jan. 1, 2003, a contract reopener on retirement and 401(k) issues; all other fringe benefits to be as accepted by the Teamsters and the Pressmen." Will a contract reopener on the 401(k) enable the company to impose a retirement plan that we don't want? What does the phase "fringe benefits" encompass? Does it include parking? The Teamsters' contract says they will get the same health insurance as the Pressmen. The Pressmen's contract says that they will get the same health insurance as nonunion people. Does this proposal essentially mean that the company will unilaterally decide what our health benefits are and be free to change them from year to year?

The company's proposal would also require the Guild to drop "all pending grievances, lawsuits, NLRB charges and other litigation." It is important to note that most of the pending litigation involves cases that the company expects to lose. The NLRB charges, in particular, stem from clear violations of well-established law.

Despite our strong position in these matters, the Guild leadership much prefers negotiation to litigation, and is eager for a settlement. Thus, we are hopeful for a productive meeting with the company next week. The Guild is proposing to negotiate around the clock, if necessary, on Monday and Tuesday, to reach a settlement.

2-20-02