Contract Talks Update

Bargaining Bulletin #12:

Tentative Agreement Reached on Most of Contract

The Albany Newspaper Guild and the Times Union have reached tentative agreements on nearly all of our contract sections.

The Wednesday bargaining session saw both sides conduct a section by section review of the proposed contract. We will be moving into negotiating the economics — wages and benefits — and deal with the outstanding contract sections including outsourcing.

We will not be back to bargaining until the week of Jan. 9, 2022 due to vacations, the holidays and the Times Union wanting to work on its economic proposal.

“We’ve been negotiating since June. It’s a long process after not conducting any contract talks since mid-2009,” said Guild President Ken Crowe.

The Company and the Guild have been able to have frank conversations during the talks.

The Guild negotiating team of Crowe, Vice President Ty Stewart and Secretary Wendy Liberatore will meet next week for a comprehensive review of our proposed economic package.

Membership Approves Outsourcing Severance

The membership during a special meeting approved a severance for three print desk members whose jobs are being outsourced to Hearst operations in Connecticut and Houston.

We had anticipated losing as many as 15 positions, but due to previously negotiated buyouts, transfers within the Times Union and vacancies, we avoided the wholesale cuts.