The Albany Newspaper Guild and the Times Union agreed Monday to a voluntary buyout that will be open to all members of the bargaining unit.

The local Executive Board unanimously approved the tentative agreement and has recommended approval at a special membership meeting on Zoom called for 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. Look for a separate email with the Zoom meeting information to be sent out Tuesday.

The buyout offer also is being reviewed by the international NewsGuild board.

The terms call for a minimum of 13 weeks pay and a maximum of 62 weeks pay based upon years of service. It also includes health insurance coverage for the same period as the buyout with the company paying the full insurance premium.  If a person chooses not to take the health insurance, they will receive 50 percent of the company’s share of the premium.

All accrued time will be paid and pension benefits remain intact.

The company said there are no goals for savings with this special voluntary buyout package, and there will be no layoffs. It will be offered across the Newspaper Division beginning Tuesday Oct. 20.

The deadline for signing up is Monday, Nov. 2.

The Guild negotiating team was led by President Mandy Fries.  Joining Mandy were Vice President Ken Crowe, Treasurer Jason McKenna and Secretary Massarah Mikati.  The company was represented by Publisher George Hearst and Human Resources Manager Ruth Fantasia.

The Guild met with company representatives Thursday to discuss health insurance.  Besides learning about the rates for 2021, we heard that the Hearst Co. has approved across the board buyouts in the newspaper division.  Vice President Ken Crowe and Treasurer Jayson McKenna represented the Guild.

Health Insurance stays on MVP for 2021

We will have the same health insurance coverage in 2021 as this year, the MVP High Deductible Plan.

Insurance premiums for the composite rate will go up 80 cents per week raising the weekly premium payment to $69.52 from the current weekly rate of $68.72.  This includes the Delta Dental Insurance.

This health plan has a $2,000 deductible with the employee responsible for the first $850 and the company paying the remaining $1,150 before the insurance payment kicks in.

Some people have the $3,000 deductible plan which has three coverages — for single, single plus one and family.  Under this plan, the employee pays the entire $3,000 deductible.  The weekly premiums for 2021 are $31.03 for single; $57.27 for single plus one; and $83.50 for family.

Voluntary Buyout talks on Monday

Human Resources Manager Ruth Fantasia informed Jayson and Ken that Hearst CEO Steve Swartz had given approval this week for the Newspaper Division to offer a voluntary buyout to division employees.

Ruth said this is a voluntary buyout and that there would be no layoffs. The company is not seeking a minimum number of buyouts or a certain amount of cost savings.  Ruth described it as an opportunity for people who want to go in new directions in their careers.

President Mandy Fries will lead the Guild team that will negotiate the buyout terms at a meeting scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at the Times Union building.

Guild membership unanimously elected Massarah Mikati as Executive Board secretary during the Albany Newspaper Guild’s annual membership meeting Thursday.

Massarah, who covers new Americans and the suburbs of Colonie at the Times Union, will fill the vacant board seat of secretary left earlier this year when a Guild member was promoted to an exempt, editor position.

Massarah has served as a Guild steward in recent months and led the Guild’s dialogue on diversity and inclusion. She is a member of the Guild’s Diversity Committee as well as the Company designated committee.

Guild members also approved a special buyout package that has been offered to specific employees at the Times Union. The agreement reached with the Company regarding this buyout is NOT available to all employees and does NOT represent a company request for a reduction in the workforce.

Some members have reached out to Guild leadership in recent days about applying for a buyout. While management has indicated to Guild leadership that a request for buyouts may be on the horizon, there is NO CURRENT BUYOUT PACKAGE AVAILABLE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. Again, there is NO REQUEST FOR BLANKET BUYOUTS, at this time.

We understand you may be eager to know what the future holds at the Times Union. We are, too. Unfortunately, that picture has not been provided to us at this time. As always, we will keep you apprised of any new information as it is made available.

Make sure your voice is heard on the selection of a new secretary to the Albany Newspaper Guild executive board. 

Members will vote to fill the vacant post of local secretary as well as weigh in on a limited special buyout package during the local’s annual membership meeting at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 17.

The meeting will be held via ZOOM. Meeting information will be provided in a separate email. If you do not receive the information, contact the Guild office at office@albanyguild.org.

LOCAL SECRETARY ELECTION

Due to the promotion of a Guild member to an exempt management position, the Guild must fill the vacant post of local secretary. The member elected to this post will serve the remaining two years of the three-year term of office and participate in Executive Board meetings and other activities supporting the local’s mission to represent our unit members.

SPECIAL BUYOUT PROPOSAL

Members will also be asked to vote on a tentative special buyout package with the Times Union, which is limited to six members in the unit. 

The buyout, which is being offered as a voluntary option to selected employees at the Times Union, includes a minimum of 15 weeks of pay; four months of health insurance with the company paying the employee’s weekly deductible; 50 percent of the premium in a cash payment for employees who do not receive health insurance from the company; and payment of all accrued vacation, makeup and personal days. The buyout is part of a Hearst Newspaper Division offering across the newspaper chain, with the money for the buyout coming from corporate coffers.

This will not trigger Section 3 of the Guild contract involving Job Security and the beginning of blanket buyouts. The Company must notify the Guild prior to any further reductions in the workforce. 

The Contracts Committee of the NewsGuild-CWA, the entity given authority over Guild contracts and other negotiated agreements through the provisions found in the NewsGuild’s Constitution, reviewed the terms of the Albany Guild’s tentative agreement on the special buyout package Friday and has approved it for submission to the membership for a ratification vote. The local unit’s Executive Board, in an emergency meeting Friday afternoon, approved putting the special proposal to a full membership vote. 

FUTURE BUYOUTS

Publisher George Hearst informed Guild President Mandy Fries and Vice President Ken Crowe Friday afternoon that the company is planning a “restructuring” due to the economic downturn hitting newspaper revenues. 

It is likely the Company will come to the Guild before the end of the year or in early January seeking to reduce staff, however, no details have been provided on what the “restructuring” could look like. 

The buyout will be offered building-wide and will not solely impact the Guild unit members, Hearst said. The company has not yet determined a goal for its cuts. If the company doesn’t achieve its desired savings through buyouts, layoffs may follow. The corporate ban on furloughs and layoffs would have to be lifted in order for this to occur.

The local has been in contact with the International staff regarding this development and is starting preparations for buyout talks that could occur as early as October.

Advertising revenues dropped 60 percent during the deepest spending reductions brought by the coronavirus pandemic, mirroring what has occurred across the newspaper industry, the company said. While advertising has improved, it remains below what it was a year ago.

Please contact an Executive Board member if you have any questions or suggestions regarding future buyout negotiations.