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Membership Meeting and Special Election
The Albany Newspaper Guild will hold a membership meeting at 6 pm on Thursday, April 14, The meeting will be conducted on Zoom.
The membership will vote to fill the vacant treasurer’s post. The term of office runs through the end of the year (Dec.31, 2022). In the event of a contested election, a mail ballot will be conducted.
The local thanks Jayson McKenna for his service as treasurer before resigning from the Times Union to pursue a new job opportunity.
An update on contract talks will be presented. The monthly Executive Board will be held immediately following the membership meeting.
Email the guild for Zoom login info.
Election Information:
The open position is Treasurer. The term will run through December 31, 2022.
Members must be in good standing to run for office and to attend the nomination meeting. If you want to check your standing, email the Guild office at office@albanyguild.org.
If there is only one nomination for any office, and the person accepts the nomination, the person will be elected at the meeting. If there is more than one candidate for any office, a Local Elections Committee appointed by the Executive Board will conduct a mail-in ballot election.
Nominations for the office may be from the floor or by petition. Petitions may be for an individual candidate in which the name of the candidate, his/her Local unit (if applicable), and department worked listed. Such petitions must also contain the names of at least 25 members. Individuals signing a petition must be members in good standing. These petitions must be filed with Local Secretary Massarah Mikati before the election at the membership meeting. The secretary shall notify all candidates of their nomination and shall receive from them a written notice of their willingness to serve.
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Bargaining Bulletin No. 1
On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, our local leadership delivered letters to Times Union management notifying the company that it was time to bargain a new contract.
It’s called a “demand to bargain.” The local Executive Board decided at the March meeting that the letter would be filed by March 31.
The Guild’s and the Times Union’s leaderships have been discussing bargaining. The letter references this and asks the company for dates it is available to start contract talks.
“Consistent with our prior discussions, with this letter the Albany Newspaper Guild is initiating a demand to bargain a contract agreement,” the notice states.
It’s time to reach a new contract between the Guild and the company. For many local members, this will be the first time that negotiations for a new contract will occur during their employment at the Times Union. We’ve been working under imposed conditions since 2009.
The filing of the notice comes after local President Ken Crowe, Vice President Ty Stewart, Melissa Nelson, a former local president, and international representative, and Barbara Camens, the TNG-CWA general counsel, reviewed the steps to take.
Over the last two-plus years, the Guild and the Times Union have held regular discussions to improve communications and to find ways forward as the newspaper industry continues to face challenging economic pressures and moves to digital.
The letter addressed to Publisher George R. Hearst III and copied to Human Resources Executive Director Ruth Fantasia closes by saying, “We look forward to meeting with Times Union representatives for healthy dialogue, a respectful exchange of proposals, and a productive collective bargaining process.”
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Severance Packages Approved
At a membership meeting held Monday night on Zoom, the Albany Newspaper Guild unanimously approved two enhanced severance packages.
One package covers the Advertising Art sub-department, while the other package is for other departments.
The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America Contracts Committee gave its support for the enhanced severance. The local’s Executive Board approved the enhanced severance at its January 2022 meeting and set the membership meeting.
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Membership Meeting
An Albany Newspaper Guild membership meeting has been called for 6 p.m. Monday January 17, 2022 to vote on an enhanced severance package for the Advertising Art Department and other departments at the Times Union.
The local Executive Board recommends approval. The News Guild-CWA Sector Contracts Committee has approved the terms.
The package for advertising art call for severance pay, equivalent health insurance and pension credits.
The other package calls for improved severance payments, an equal amount of health insurance.
In both cases health insurance coverage may be taken in coverage or in a negotiated amount of cash; unemployment will not be contested; signing of a separation agreement is required and accumulated benefits will be paid.
The membership meeting will be held via Zoom due to the high number of positives COVID-19 cases in the Capital Region.
Email office@albanyguild.org for Zoom login info.
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Membership Updates
Bonus Payment
The Local’s Executive Board has approved at its December meeting a one-time bonus payment by the Times Union to Guild-represented employees who aren’t paid commissions.
The company said the bonus most likely will be 1 percent of annual salary (that’s $500 if you earn $50,000). This is similar to what occurred in 2020.
Severance Vote
The membership at a special meeting Dec. 9, 2021 approved a special severance package for unit members who are not vaccinated. They will receive up to 8 weeks pay, the equivalent amount of health insurance in coverage or cash and can apply for unemployment.
Christmas and New Year’s Day
Just a reminder that under our contract Dec. 25 is the Christmas Holiday and Jan. 1 is the New Year’s Day Holiday.
The company sent out the wrong information but at the Guild’s request has corrected it with a follow up email. If you opt not to take the holiday on the Friday before or the Monday after and Saturday is your normal day off you can take a make-up day.
Serving the employees of the Times Union in Albany, New York since 1934.