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Special vote on health insurance and enhanced buyout for business office
A special vote will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019 to approve a health insurance package for 2020 as well as an enhanced buyout for impacted employees in the business office.
Earlier this month, the Company approached the Executive Board and business office employees about outsourcing the work done of five of the six employees in the office. Through negotiations an enhanced buyout package was reached to compensate the employees who have worked at the Times Union for many years.
Guild members are very pleased the Company is offering a non-precedent setting buyout package removing the 62-week cap for dismissal pay to compensate the longtime employees, providing 12 months of health insurance coverage as well as a $5,000 stipend for employees who have been asked to train their replacements in Houston.
For business office employees who take on another role at the Times Union, they will receive a $10,000 displacement payment.
The Executive Board unanimously approved the buyout package at a special meeting Wednesday, and recommends approval by the membership.
The proposed plan for health insurance in 2020 will drop $0.29 for those on the $850 deductible plan with MVP Healthcare. The deductible remains the same.
For members paying for the high-deductible ($3,000) there will be a slight increase depending on if you are single, single plus one, or have family coverage. This deductible will remain the same as well. If you’re single you’ll see a $1.07 increase each week in your paycheck for health insurance. For a single plus one, the increase will be $2.14 per week, and for family coverage it will increase $3.21 per week.
These figures are subject to change should the Company secure a lower rate with MetLife for dental, which in turn could reduce costs to members. The above estimates include Delta Dental for coverage. The coverage is changing from Guardian due to lower rates secured from other carriers.
Voting on both measures will be conducted in the Times Union cafeteria, and efforts will be made to make voting as easy as possible. Times will be announced prior to voting Wednesday.
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Members elect new Executive Board to lead Guild
At the annual meeting of the Albany Newspaper Guild held Tuesday, Sept. 24, the following people were nominated and elected by members to serve three-year terms on the executive board:
Amanda Fries, President
Ken Crowe II, Vice President
Jayson McKenna, Treasurer
Lauren Stanforth, Secretary
Robert Gavin, Chief Steward
Jeff Boyer, At-large member
Ty Stewart, At-large memberAlso at the meeting, the president discussed other issues currently facing the Guild, including the negotiations involving Hearst’s stated intention to eliminate Guild staff in the business office, as well as the Guild’s future plans to conduct more outreach among its membership.
The membership also voted on allocating $5,000 for the mobilization committee.
The Executive Board was thrilled to see so many people from various departments attend the meeting (the best turnout for an annual meeting in many years!). We look forward to reaching out to you about new initiatives in the months ahead, as well as keeping you updated on any information we can share concerning ongoing negotiations with Hearst Corp.
As always, please reach out to any of the board’s members for questions or issues you want to discuss confidentially.
Thank you for your support!
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Annual Membership Meeting & Election of All Guild Officers
The Newspaper Guild of Albany will hold a membership meeting at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the BVMC Church Hall across the street at 250 Old Maxwell Rd.
All seven seats on the Executive Board are up for election. The terms are for three years.
The positions require attendance at the monthly Executive Board meeting, held at 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. Board members develop bargaining proposals, make decisions on health care and other proposals, and decide on any grievances or other issues that arise.
Also, this will be an opportunity for members to raise any issues or concerns, and to hear about any potential new approaches toward reaching a new contract.
Election Information:
The positions are President, Treasurer, Secretary, Chief Steward, Vice President, and two Board Members At-Large. The terms 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 nomination, the person will be elected at the meeting. If there is more than one candidate for any office, a Local Elections Committee will be appointed and a mail-in ballot election will be held.
Nominations for any office may be from the floor, 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 the local Secretary 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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Don’t forget this Tuesday, Sept. 25 is the annual membership meeting!
The Newspaper Guild of Albany will hold a membership meeting at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the BVMC Church Hall across the street at 250 Old Maxwell Rd.
All seven seats on the Executive Board are up for election. The terms are for three years.
The positions require attendance at the monthly Executive Board meeting, held at 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. Board members develop bargaining proposals, make decisions on health care and other proposals, and decide on any grievances or other issues that arise.
Also, this will be an opportunity for members to raise any issues or concerns, and to hear about any potential new approaches toward reaching a new contract.
View the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting below:
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Guild Picnic
Join the Albany Newspaper Guild for its annual picnic at Six Mile Waterworks Park in Albany!
What: Albany Newspaper Guild Annual Picnic
When: Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019
Time: 12–4 p.m.
Where: Six Mile Waterworks Park, 135 Fuller Road, Albany
(it’s the park off the first roundabout on Fuller Road when heading toward SUNYPolytechnic Institute)We’ll have all-beef hot dogs, hamburgers, black bean veggie burgers, peach glazed BBQ chicken, mac n’ cheese, salads and more, thanks to Birch Hill Catering.
This is a free event sponsored by the Guild, and a way for us all to get together and enjoy an afternoon of food and yard games as we wrap up the summer!
This is a family-friendly event. There is a playground on site as well as walking trails at the park, and we’ll have coloring books and other things to keep the kids occupied.
Please RSVP below by Wednesday, Sept. 11 with how many will be attending so we can accommodate for food.
Guild-eligible members (both those in good standing, and those who aren’t) as well as Guild alumni are welcome to attend!
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Serving the employees of the Times Union in Albany, New York since 1934.
