On Monday, Aug. 4, management and the union exchanged first proposals.
Management’s proposal included withdrawal from The Newspaper Guild International Pension Fund and the right to outsource finance and home delivery work. Under a withdrawal from the pension plan, contributions to the plan would end. Participants would still receive benefits earned to date, but would not earn any additional pension. Early retirement and disability benefits would no longer be available so participants would have to wait until age 65 to begin receiving their monthly pension
check. The withdrawal would not affect the Post/Guild pension that was frozen in 2008.
The proposed right to outsource included the ability to send all finance work to the MNG Shared Services Center in Colorado Springs and to outsource all home delivery work, both with 60 days’ advance notice. Management didn’t have a specific effective date for either of the two groups, only that outsourcing under their proposal would not happen until at least next March. Management did not provide any specifics on who they would outsource home delivery work to or any other details on that proposal.
The union’s proposal included several economic improvements including wage increases; restoration of night differential; restoration of the 401(k) match; restoration of DM, ADM and Electrician III pay; and a supplemental insurance plan. The proposal also included language to assure that people are paid for all hours worked and a change to the drug and alcohol policy, treating marijuana similar to alcohol by testing for impairment not just the presence in a sample.
The next bargaining session is scheduled for Aug. 20.
Guild Bargaining Committee:
Paulette Shrefler
Kathy Rudolph
Laurie Faliano
Sam DeLeo
Colleen Campbell
Kristin Baldwin
Kelly Mortensen
Steve Wielgosz
Chris Wint
