President Pat Gormley called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m, April 28, 2009. Motion/Second/Carried, Gormley/Heaney: To approve minutes of the March 2009 meeting as they appeared in the Frontier Reporter.
Correspondence:
None.
Grievances:
Fay advised that all members should be aware of how the The News’ cutbacks have affected the workplace and how management is handling those adjustments. Gormley stressed that the Guild and members “need to start watching the work.
Mobilization:
Tan reported that the mobilization committee hasn’t met since the finalization of The News’ cutbacks. Tan said her the committee is pursuing ways to reduce costs associated with the Guild Web site.
Tan also noted that the Web site did garner a record amount of traffic recently; but that there are also further improvements to be made, such as the grievance page.
The 75th anniversary of the Buffalo Guild is this year. Tan said the committee is exploring ways to celebrate the occasion – possibly in combination with other Guild social events in an effort to keep costs down. Gormley stressed the importance to honor the history of the Guild.
New Business:
M/S/C Heaney/Snyder: To appoint members to represent the Guild on the Labor Management Committee that was bargained as part of the recent settlement regarding The News’ cutbacks and that they include a core group with one permanent representative from each Guild department and two from Editorial; that meetings be open to other interested members on a case-by-case basis, depending on the issues to be discussed; and that we instruct our local service representative to request a meeting with the company as early as May as allowable.
M/S/C Fairbanks/Heaney: That Jim Heaney be chairman of the Guild’s representatives to the LMC. Turnbull said the Newspaper Guild sector conference will be June 18-20 in Washington, D.C., with the CWA conference to follow on June 22-23 in Washington; and that next month’s agenda include discussion about who would be interested in going. Gormley said the Guild is faced with replacing Local Secretary Joe Lapi because Lapi was one of the district managers forced to take a buy out. Gormley asked for nominations. Fairbanks nominated Keith McShea of Editorial. There were no other nominations.
M/S/C Fairbanks/Tan: To elect Keith McShea of Editorial as Guild secretary.
M/S/C Heaney/Leiser: To divide the stipend formerly earned by Tina Ouellette as Classified Advertising’s chief steward amongst four Guild members who are interested in sharing the duties. Turnbull said it would be a temporary situation and that she is working closely with the group. Fairbanks discussed the WNY Labor Today Web site, which is a pay-for-link Web site that the Guild might be interested in investigating. Gormley reported that Local 1122 is conducting an informational picket May 1 at Summer and Barker; the local is seeking wage increases from the Red Cross.
M/S/C Fairbanks/Tan: To elect Henry Davis to one of the Editorial Department’s spots on the executive committee. There remain spots to be filled for Editorial, ABC and inside circulation.
M/S/C Heaney/Tan: A resolution to notify management that the Guild would like the holiday of July 4 (which falls on a Saturday) to be scheduled as Friday, July 3.
New members Kris Powers, Gerald Lewandowski, Erin Stahl and Steve Hlavaty; all part-time district managers.
M/S/C Snyder/Leiser: To waive the re-up Guild fee for Hlavaty.
M/S/C Gormley/Heaney to adjourn at 7:55 p.m
In attendance: Kim Leiser, Dave Irwin, Phil Fairbanks, Jim Heaney, Brian Meyer, Robert Snyder, Pat Gormley, Tammy Turnbull, Sandy Tan, Dick Fay, Geoff Nason, Keith McShea, Felice McMillion.
Respectfully submitted,
Keith McShea, Secretary
Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, February 10
12:00 p.m.
President Gormley calls meeting to order at 12:10 p.m. to report out on recent developments since the last meeting of the committee.
1) TNG President Bernie Lunzer has contacted the Local to inform them that Dan Farberman of The Buffalo News has contacted him and has requested a meeting with Mr. Lunzer in Washington to discuss the State of the News. Mr. Farberman informs Lunzer that Warren Colville will also be attending the meeting on behalf of the News. TNG Rep Marian Needham contacts Farberman regarding what the News wishes to discuss with Mr. Lunzer and is told that they are making the rounds of all the international unions and wish to speak personally with TNG. Discussion regarding this meeting takes place and a resolution is placed on the floor by Phil Fairbanks that The Buffalo Newspaper Guild has no objection to Mr. Lunzer meeting with News representatives providing that Marian Needham attend the meeting as well. This motion is seconded by Jim Heaney and approved unanimously.
2) The Finance Committee will have a budget to present to E.C. members before the next local meeting.
3) Sandy Tan is conducting a meeting of the Mobilization Committee on Wednesday, February 18 at 6:15 p.m. in the Guild office to discuss the Guild Messenger System, the Healthy Locals Survey and other mobilization events.
The meeting is ended at 12:45 p.m.
UPDATE: The date of the meeting between TNG International and the News is Thursday, February 26, 2009.
Buffalo Newspaper Guild CWA Local 31026 