Even before the contract is signed, Guild representatives are fanning out across the newsroom to ensure that one of the pact’s newest provisions will be properly administered. Stewards and steward leaders are verifying vacation totals for everyone hired from 1995 to now. The union needs this information to check whether the company is depositing the […]

The last of the absentee ballots have been counted in the vote on the 2005-’08 contract, and the final official tally is 116 in favor, 25 opposed. The preliminary vote on Dec. 15 was 110-23.

‘Tis the season to be compensated. If you’re working over the holidays, here’s what you’re entitled to under the Guild contract: If you work on the actual holiday (Dec. 25 or Jan. 1 in this case): You get overtime for your full shift (fill out a yellow overtime card), plus holiday differential ($5 for Christmas, […]

Guild members Thursday ratified a 2005-2008 contract with Journal Sentinel Inc. With a few absentee ballots left to count, the preliminary vote total is 110 in favor to 23 opposed. That’s the most “no” votes ever cast on a contract recommended by the leadership and bargaining committee, reflecting dissatisfaction with the combination of the smallest […]

The polls are about to open. Guild members can vote on the proposed 2005-2008 contract from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. today in the Grant Library downtown. Today is also the last day for absentee ballots to be postmarked. If the vote is not close enough for the […]

We interrupt this discussion of the next contract to turn to an increasingly important provision of the current contract: turnaround pay. When the local news desk recently posted the weekend schedule for the first quarter of next year, many reporters found themselves assigned at least once to the 4:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. night police […]

In one of the liveliest contract debates in years, some Guild members are turning to mass communications to deliver their message. Many of us have seen flyers from one member advocating a “no” vote on the contract and e-mails from another member advocating a “yes” vote. Both of those individuals are speaking for themselves, not […]

While much discussion about the proposed new contract is understandably focused on the 1.5% across-the-board raise, changes in the minimum wage scales are expected to bring larger guaranteed raises to about one-quarter of our bargaining unit. The Guild leadership estimates that nearly 70 of the approximately 270 workers covered by our contract — ranging from […]

The proposed new contract has sparked a vigorous and healthy debate among the Guild’s membership. One important question is what would happen if the membership votes to reject the contract. As the Guild Bargaining Committee reported at last Monday’s membership meeting, management has said that if the contract is not ratified by Dec. 31, the […]

Guild Bargaining Committee members will conduct seven informational sessions to answer questions on the proposed new contract leading up to Thursday’s ratification vote. Contract briefings will be held at noon and 6 p.m. Monday and at noon and 6 p.m. Tuesday, all in the Deck View Conference Room on the 4th floor downtown; noon Monday […]