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Vol XI, No. 29TNG/CWA Local 31041March 14, 2000

NEW TALKS SET FOR FRIDAY

First Bargaining Since Jan. 24; Co. Asks Mediator for Session

The first bargaining session between the Guild and the company in nearly two months has been scheduled for Friday, March 17.

The development came after Paul Chabot, the federal mediator, called the two sides together.

Chabot told Tim Schick, the Guild administrator and chief negotiator, that the company has requested the session.

The mediator told Schick that the company told him that it is "looking for a way to break the impasse."

The Guild does not believe that an impasse, in the sense of a true legal stalemate, has been reached yet during these negotiations, as difficult as the negotiations have been.

But the union is hopeful that the problems that have so far prevented the two sides reaching agreement on a new contract can be solved.

"We will be delighted to see if there are any positive changes in the company's position," Schick said.

The parties last met Jan. 24, the 14th negotiating session in a series of talks that began last fall.

At that January meeting, the company presented what it described as its "last, best and Final" contract offer, which contained 3 percent pay raises in each of three years, but did not answer key Guild demands, including retirement benefit improvements, a union role in advertising incentives, a cap on medical costs, resolution of pre-publication department problems and contractual parking provisions.

The union membership, in secret ballot voting Feb. 2 and 3 rejected that offer 354 to 28 in a "no" vote that was the largest in the Guild's history.

The company declined to extend the contract beyond the one-month period that ended Jan. 31.

The Guild has been working without a pay raise since then.

During the interim, the company announced a bonus for non-Guild workers, stopped collecting union dues through payroll checkoff, and unilaterally eliminated a paid holiday and extended the waiting period for a third week of vacation.

The union has staged a rally in front of the Journal building, has conducted two byline strikes and leafleted the public attending two Journal-sponsored events.

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in the company's Human Resources conference room.

DUES STILL DUE

The Guild has had a good response to the first round of dues collection notices.

Many members have sent in checks, and others have taken advantage of the credit card option.

But there are still plenty of others who need to provide checks or their card numbers to the Guild office.

Send in yours today.

UNION PIN GOES CYBER

Want to show support for the Guild?

Let your personal computer send the message.

The familiar "We Are the Union" pin is now available as a sickly green computer image, suitable for becoming wallpaper on Windows desktop displays.

It can be downloaded in an instant from the Guild website: http://www.riguild.org/watu.htm.

The button comes in three computer screen sizes.

There are simple-to-follow instructions about installing it.

And slightly more complicated directions on how to remove it when a contract settlement is reached.


Copyright © 2000 The Providence Newspaper Guild
TNG/CWA Local 31041
270 Westmister St., Providence, Rhode Island 02903
401-421-9466 | Fax: 401-421-9495
png@riguild.org