The quarterly membership meeting of the Albany Newspaper Guild, Local 31034, TNG-CWA has been called for 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.  The meeting will be held via Zoom.

You must be a member in good standing (paying dues) to participate in the meeting and to vote on any measures that come before the local.

The membership will hear a report on contract negotiations and plans for a Feb. 6, 2025 Guild party to honor retirees, those who were laid off and those who took buyouts in 2024.

Any other matters may also be brought up at the annual meeting.

The monthly Executive Board meeting will follow on the same Zoom call.

Please email office@albanyguild.org for Zoom login info if you have problems.

The Guild’s Commission Committee met with management on Tuesday afternoon to discuss changes in the Frequence commissions.

As the finance department cannot see all Frequence displays, the company will reduce the commission and the goal of all Frequence products by 75 percent. This change will go into effect in 2025.

Guild Chief Steward Wendy Liberatore, Guild steward Justin Wisner and member Lloyd Brown attended the meeting with Chief Revenue Officer Ron Merrit and Jerry Kingkade of sales and operations.

Both Wisner and Brown said they are satisfied that the changes will not adversely affect 2025 goals for the sales staff.

Any questions on the commissions can be directed to Wisner at justin.c.wisner@gmail.com or Brown at lloydbrownrr88@gmail.com.

The enrollment period for health insurance is now taking place and those who would like to take the insurance must enroll by Friday, Nov. 22.

There are two main health insurance plans.

Here is the notice from Hearst and the Times Union about enrolling.

“Make Your Selections”

 Enroll now or go to  MyHEARST  and select My Benefits &  Resources under the Benefits & Pay tab.
 You can also enroll by calling the Hearst Benefits Service Center at 855-827-0372. Representatives are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Please note, you will be able to see your per-paycheck cost of benefits during the enrollment process. If you don’t enroll in benefits during Annual Enrollment, your benefits will automatically default to no coverage except for company-provided basic life, accidental death and dismemberment and long-term disability insurance.

Your next opportunity to change your coverage or enroll in benefits will be during Annual Enrollment in the fall of 2025 for coverage in 2026 unless you have a qualifying life event.”

The Guild is providing the insurance premiums here:
For the cheaper premium plan known as United Healthcare Consumer Plan with HSA.
Below is the Category: Followed by weekly, monthly and company monthly premiums
Single: $20.31, $88 and $495
You and Spouse: $55.85, $242 and $1,408
You and child/Children: $36.46, $158 and $896
You and family: $79.62, $345 and $1,708

A single person receives $600 for the Health Savings Account. All others receive $1,200 for family.

The second plan with higher premiums is the United Healthcare Classic Plan. There is no HSA.
Below is the Category: Followed by weekly, monthly and company monthly premiums
Single: $51.23, $222 and $448
You and Spouse: $140.77, $610 and $1,236
You and Child/Children: $92.076, $399 and $809
You and family: $201.23, $872 and $1,408

There is no composite rate in either plan.

In the first plan, the deductible for in network is $2,000 for an individual. For a family, the deductible is $4,000. All family members count toward the deductible.

Out-of-pocket maximum for individuals in network is $4,500 and for family it is $9,000.

For the classic plan (second one listed) the deductible in network for individual is $1,300, employee plus one dependent, $2,600 and for a family $3,900.

Out-of-pocket maximum is $3,000 for individual and $9,000 for family.

There are premiums for dental coverage and vision coverage.

The Times Union has not provided information requested by the Guild and insists it doesn’t have to negotiate even though health insurance is a mandatory topic of bargaining and it has done so with the other unions at the newspaper.

Approved for posting: KCCII 11/17/24

The Times Union cut four positions in the editorial department on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, 2024.

The jobs eliminated were held by members of the Albany Newspaper Guild. The jobs were editing positions.

The members who have lost their jobs will receive nine weeks of notice pay, accumulated time off and severance according to length of service as called for in the contract.

In addition, the Times Union and Guild have agreed to continued health insurance coverage.

Including the two buyouts, we have seen six Guild positions eliminated. The Guild has been told that retooling of the newsroom is being reviewed with an eye on the digital future of the Times Union. This may result in some positions being added.

One other Guild-represented position also had a buyout in the circulation department.

In the exempt ranks, there were three buyouts in editorial, one buyout in marketing and one buyout in computer systems.

Approved for posting: KCCII, 11/13/24

The Times Union is unilaterally implementing its plans for health insurance coverage for 2025.The company has not responded to our local’s repeated requests for information about the health insurance coverage and has not responded to requests for the Executive Board to meet with the insurance broker regarding the 2025 health insurance coverage.

Health insurance is a mandatory subject of bargaining. The company has negotiated with the pressmen and the mailers locals on health insurance.

The company has acted to change our health insurance coverage, which is provided under Section 14 Welfare, Pension, Alternate Benefits and Death Benefits in our contract, without discussion of any details.

Publisher George R. Hearst III has been told that the Albany Newspaper Guild is weighing filing an unfair labor practice charge.

The Albany Newspaper Guild is consulting with our parent union, The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America on this matter.

Unfortunately, due to the company’s refusal to answer the local’s questions, we’ve been unable to conduct a comprehensive review and to present the insurance issues to the membership.

The company insurance enrollment period is starting this week.

Approved for posting: KCCII, 11/5/24