Since the dues case was settled, more than a dozen people hired during the past two years have signed their forms to pay dues and are in good standing.

The union is glad to see the overwhelmingly positive response people have had to the settlement reached by the Times Union and the Guild. The union is now focused on reaching a settlement on all of the other outstanding issues, including the contract and the NLRB case over the 11 illegally fired workers.

At the same time, First Vice President Lindsay LaFountain is doing a tremendous job leading the Guild’s Commission Committee, which is trying to get changes made in the drastically cut commissions advertising employees are receiving.

The dues form signed by Guild-represented employees specifies a once-a-year window when people can revoke their dues checkoff. This clause’s language has been the same for more than 60 years.Out of the 200 we represent, we’ve had three inquire about revoking their dues.

As our contract and the language of the checkoff form state, there is a “window of opportunity” and specific procedures to follow. The Guild’s Executive Board consulted with our attorney, Barbara Camens, and were informed our officers and Executive Board have no authority to break that signed agreement or to change the guidelines in any way.

The Guild board also strongly believes that everyone who benefits from the union should pay the dues. It is simply unfair for some people to cash the bonus check, expect a pension and accept other benefits, all for free, while others pay for the same benefits.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact any Executive Board member.

The Executive Board
Tim O’Brien
Lindsay LaFountain
Mark Hempstead
Brian Nearing
Tim Neff
Jeff Boyer
Dan Roesser

The Guild’s Executive Board agreed Thursday to simplify the process for rebates.

Rather than require people who are slightly in arrears to pay their debt in order to get a rebate, the Guild will provide a partial rebate.

For example, if an employee owed $200 in order to get a $500 rebate, the union will simply write a check to the worker for the $300 difference.

The Guild intends to send out checks to members next week. If people are completely current, they will receive a rebate of 50 percent of what they were billed between April 2009 and July 2011.

People who owe more than 50 percent of their total dues bill for that time period will get an invoice instead. That document will show their balance due after the union forgives 50 percent of the total dues billed in that timeframe.

The invoice will also show how much those folks can pay each month over a six-month period to get back in good standing. People who go on a repayment plan and stick with it will be considered in good standing. That will enable them to vote, run for office and attend membership meetings.

All Guild-covered employees will get a statement outlining how their total was reached. If you have any questions upon receiving your statement, please call the Guild office at 482-9218 or contact us by email at office@albanyguild.org.

On Tuesday, the Guild’s Executive Board voted to approve a plan to offer a 50 percent refund to members in good standing and 50 percent forgiveness to those who fell behind.

People who are now in good standing will get the rebate within the next two weeks. There who are in arrears will have until Oct. 1 to become current and still be able to receive the rebate.

For an employee in the top tier of pay classification C, the rebate will be about $900. Dues are a percentage of salary, so the rebates will also be a percentage of what employees are paid. Employees who do not become current by Oct. 1 will be forgiven half of their dues owed from April 2009 through the end of July 2011.

The union will send invoices to those in arrears within a week, detailing how much people owe and how much of their debt is being forgiven.

Those who need extra time beyond Oct. 1 to pay what they owe can be placed on a payment plan. They will have six months to get their debt paid. As long as they stick to their payment plan, they will be considered members in good standing.

The union recognizes it has been difficult for many people to keep current given that Times Union employees have not had raises in four years. The union continues to work toward a full settlement of its contract.

The Guild’s Executive Board will meet at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Colonie Public Library to approve a plan to offer a 50 percent refund to members in good standing and 50 percent forgiveness to those who fell behind.

The meeting is open to any members who want to attend.

People who are now in good standing will get the rebate within the next two weeks. Those who are in arrears will have until October 1 to become current and still be able to receive the rebate.

For an employee in the top tier of pay classification C, the rebate will be about $900. Dues are a percentage of salary, so the rebates will also be a percentage of what employees paid.

The union will send invoices to those in arrears next week, detailing how much people owe and how much of their debt is being forgiven.

Those who need extra time beyond October 1 to pay what they owe can be placed on a payment plan. They will have six months to get their debt paid. As long as they stick to their payment plan, they will be considered members in good standing.

“For more than two years, the Guild has survived thanks to the continued support of our most loyal members and by tapping into the union’s reserves,” Guild President Tim O’Brien said. “With dues checkoff now restored and a more stable income base, the Executive Board decided that the Guild could afford to offer a rebate to our most consistent, loyal supporters. Without them, this union would not have made it through this difficult struggle.”

The union recognizes it has been difficult for many people to keep current, given that Times Union employees have not had raises in four years. The union continues to work toward a full settlement of its contract.

“The Executive Board members felt strongly that they wanted to maximize the number of members who could be returned to good standing,” said First Vice President Lindsay LaFountain. “While the board had discussed a smaller rebate, we concluded a larger one would be most effective both in paying tribute to those whose support never flagged and in convincing those who fell behind to return to good standing.”

The bonus you will receive today is a direct result of the hard work of your union.

It is settlement money the company is paying after your dues collection was cut off in June 2009. Both parties agreed on the settlement before the case went to arbitration August 30. Dues collection will resume today as well.

This is a victory for Guild members, and it provides a chance to reinvigorate the union as we continue to work with the company toward a settlement of all outstanding issues.

Now we want to discuss with our members how we move forward. We will hold an open, informational meeting everyone can attend at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 24, at the Colonie Public Library.

We want to discuss with you the Executive Board’s tentative ideas for dues rebates for those who stayed in good standing. (We’d also offer a window for people who fell a bit behind to get current in time to get the rebate.) We want to discuss partial forgiveness of the debt for those who fell behind and do not get current in time, and we’d like to go over the concept of repayment plans for our members who want to get current but need some time to do so.

If you’ve got ideas, please share them in the comments or come to the meeting and do so.

And if you have not filled out a dues checkoff form, contact Tim O’Brien at 5092, Lindsay LaFountain at 5023 or Brian Nearing at 5094. You can also call the Guild office at 482-9218 or by email at office@albanyguild.org.