Times Union employees kicked off a campaign today that includes a new video, a a new website and table tents with messages as part of what will be an ongoing effort to communicate that 1,800 days = too long to go without a raise.

Some of the newspaper’s most prominent faces appear in the video and columnist Fred Lebrun even offers his support. The table tents feature messages that include “Respect: a two-street,” “I need a raise” and “We deserve a contract.”

The website, 1800days.info, is the place to go to learn about the campaign.

Committee members Lauren Stanforth, John De Rosier and Ty Stewart all talked about how the new mobilizing committee is a grass-roots effort to show the company that a raise and a contract is a sign of respect for all employees and not just something the union’s leaders want. They all encouraged the members at the kickoff event Tuesday to share their input. If people have an idea for a table tent message, they said, pass it on and it will be printed.

View the video here, let us know what you think and we hope you’ll join your colleagues in the next one.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPsglGwZSYE]

Please join us today from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Colonie Public Library to hear about the campaign kick-off to urge the company to go back to the bargaining table and agree on a contract—one that includes a raise. There will be a special surprise screening at the meeting featuring fellow Guild members, so don’t miss it! We also want to hear from you about your ideas for our campaign going forward.

Wednesday, August 1, marks 5 years, more than 1,800 days since our last raise.

With rising costs, that means there are fewer employees doing more work for less money.

Join us between 2:45–3:15 pm outside Wednesday for free ice cream and to hear about how we can work together for everyone’s benefit.

Turnout was sparse for Thursday’s vote on dental care, but the members who did cast their ballots decided to stick with Empire Blue Cross.

The vote was 17-10 against switching to dental insurance provided by Guardian.

For the most part, members were ambivalent about the switch. Different dentists accepted different insurance, making it hard to gauge the overall impact on the membership as a whole.

Even the Guild leadership had conflicting feelings. President Tim O’Brien learned his dentist might drop Blue Cross and might pick up Guardian, but nothing was certain.

Guild leaders said turnout would have been stronger, and more opposed, if the proposed cap of $2,500 per person had been in the mix. Guardian had agreed to withdraw the cap. But with an estimated savings of only $11 a year, the proposal did little to drive members to vote or to want to switch.

“We remain open to discussing ways to save whenever they arise,” O’Brien said. “Summer is a tough time to rivet people’s attention on this subject, especially with so little savings at stake.”

We’re looking to get up-to-date contact information for all our members, and you can help by completing this form. Do so by Tuesday July, 24 and be eligible for a gift card drawing!

Enter on time and you will be eligible for one of two $25 gift cards from Professor Java’s that can be used in the cafeteria or in their Wolf Road location. Drawing to be held on Friday, July 27.