UPDATE: That was fast. We are told the signs have been altered to remove the offending word. That’s only a start in addressing our concerns.

As part of what it deems a motivational technique, the Times Union is branding some of its ad sales staff ‘terrorists’ on charts posted outside the department.

This is the latest effort in an increasingly misguided, inappropriate way of handling the sales staff. On Tuesday, as the Capital Region braced for a massive snowstorm, Advertising VP Kathy Hallion sent staff  an email telling them to “plan ahead” and be on time for an 8:30 a.m. training session.

Guild President Tim O’Brien replied that it was inappropriate to push employees to rush to work on a day when roads were likely to be unplowed and when schools and many offices were being shuttered.

“Employees should be cautious driving into work tomorrow,” he replied. “No training is worth injuring yourself or others.”

Last fall, advertising employees met with Publisher George Hearst and presented a petition that formally complained about the hostile work environment in advertising. The Company then sent a corporate lawyer to do “an investigation.”

The Guild then did a survey of advertising employees that documented how bad conditions are and how half the staff had sought medical help due to stress in the workplace. The union emailed a link to the Company’s management, locally and nationally. You can read the results here.

Finally, Hearst replied with a brief note to ad sales staff. To date, he has never responded to the union.

“As you may know, we have conducted a full investigation into the issues raised and will take action to address these concerns as appropriate,” Hearst said.
“We also will continue to closely monitor the situation going forward.”

That was it. No details, no specifics. Advertising employees have grown increasingly frustrated with Hearst’s failure to respond to and address their concerns.

On Saturday, the union held a training seminar at the Desmond on how to respond to bullying in the workplace. Most participants came from the advertising department.

“This is a phenomenon that has serious consequences,” speaker KC Wagner of Cornell University said. “This is not just something happening in your head. This isn’t just the union doing its thing.”

She said workplace bullying today stands where sexual harassment in the workplace was 30 years ago. With new emphasis on preventing bullying in schools, companies will start to realize they must also bar the use of threats and intimidation in the workplace.

The Guild gathered numerous ideas from the seminar it will be working on going forward. Members interested in helping or learning more can attend our monthly Executive Board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, February 13, at the Albany Labor Temple.

In the meantime, the union will reach out to the Company and demand that the shameful signs declaring some ad sales employees “terrorists” be taken down.

Come join the Guild for a FREE informational seminar by Cornell University experts on harassment prevention in the workplace.

Members and their spouses are free to attend. So we can provide lunch for all those attending, please sign up privately online at albanyguild.org/seminar.

Saturday, February 1, from 10 am–2pm at the Desmond. Lunch provided!

Most managers at the Times Union are good people who treat their employees well, but we’ve had a few incidents that prompted people to ask how to handle the exceptions. This forum for our members should help provide some answers on how to deal with inappropriate behavior in the workplace, whether it’s a manager making inappropriate sexual comments, a boss using threats and intimidation, or any other type of bullying.

Experts from Cornell University will lay out the legal standards, discuss what constitutes harassment and bullying, and then give members a chance to discuss behavior that concerns them and brainstorm what they can do about it.

The seminar is being sponsored by The Newspaper Guild’s International.

Friday, December 6 from 6–9 p.m. at Wolf’s 1-11 on Wolf Road

Join your fellow Guild members for drinks and hors d’oeuvres!
Guild members are invited to bring one guest.

Sign up today at albanyguild.org/holiday

Guild leaders agreed Thursday to switch health care to Empire Blue Cross for 2014.

The employee deductible share would stay at $750, and most benefits would remain the same. The only significant change is that out-of-network visits would not be covered.

Some members have asked what that means if they are sick on vacation or have a child outside the area still on their health plan. Blue Cross, like the Blue Shield plan this year, has an extensive network of doctors nationally who accept the insurance. Employees who are suddenly sick or injured are covered for emergencies.

It is only employees who go to a doctor not who does not accept Empire Blue Cross who would not be covered. That means either having to switch doctors or pay for the coverage directly.

The switch is less expensive than sticking with Blue Shield. By moving to Empire, the weekly premium cost for employees would be $46.51 for medical care. Dental care, which would remain unchanged but cost 25 cents more a week next year, will add $2.51 to that bill for a total medical cost of $49.02 per week.

Employees now pay a total weekly bill of $46.17 so the total increase would be $2.85 a week or 6 percent.

To stay with Blue Shield, the cost would rise to $51.20 a week plus the dental coverage. And that would be with a $1,000 deductible.

“The Company is required each year to present us with a comparable plan to the one we have, and we have in recent years often brought changes to the membership for approval because the plans were not comparable,” Guild President Tim O’Brien said. “This year, the Executive Board decided the new plan is comparable so no vote was needed. If the Company had sought to increase the deductible, cut coverage or change from a composite rate, any of those changes would have rendered the plan not comparable and required membership approval.”

O’Brien was joined by Chief Steward Brian Nearing and Third Vice President Adam McAvoy at the table.

Guild members would see 6 percent rise, no out-of-network coverage.

Union leaders met with the Company Friday afternoon and came close to an agreement on health care for 2014, but decided to get their members’ input first.

The proposal calls for switching from Blue Shield to Empire Blue Cross. The employee deductible share would stay at $750, and most benefits would remain the same. The only significant change is that out-of-network visits would not be covered.

Although those visits represent a tiny fraction of employee medical expenses, the Guild wants to hear from members who have used out-of-network doctors as to why and whether the change would be significant for them. Empire Blue Cross has a slightly larger pool of doctors than the current plan.

The switch would be less expensive than sticking with Blue Shield. By moving to Empire, the weekly premium cost for employees would be $46.51 for medical care. (Dental care, which would remain unchanged but cost 25 cents more a week next year, will add $2.51 to that bill for a total medical cost of $49.02 per week.)

Employees now pay a total weekly bill of $46.17 so the total increase would be $2.85 a week or 6 percent.

To stay with Blue Shield, the cost would rise to $51.20 a week plus the dental coverage. And that would be with a $1,000 deductible. The parties abandoned talk of switching to a multi-option plan that would have meant a major increase for families.

“The dollar amounts for this plan seem the best option,” Guild President Tim O’Brien said, “but all the union leaders wanted to hear what their members think before making a decision.”

O’Brien was joined by Chief Steward Brian Nearing and Third Vice President Adam McAvoy at the table. Leaders from the mailroom and press room also were involved.

Members are urged to ask their doctors if they take Empire Blue Cross. Those who have concerns about ending out-of-network coverage can contact the Guild at 482-9218 or by email at office@albanyguild to discuss the potential impact. The parties will meet again Thursday afternoon so please send your thoughts in by 5 p.m. Wednesday.