November – Executive Meeting Minutes

President Pat Gormley called the meeting to order at 12:07 p.m, Nov. 13, 2009 at One News Plaza, fifth-floor cafeteria.

Irwin presented the budget for 2010 and a handout was distributed (see attachments). The budget was quite difficult to determine due to the membership losses over the past year due to buyouts and layoffs. The budget is past due; it was due Oct. 1.

Irwin reviewed the budget. Some highlights: Office expenditures, primarily rent, were reduced during the move from Exchange St. to Chippewa.

There is a question as to whether we need the separate fax line we currently have.
Postage has been cut down due to the Frontier Reporter going to email.

It is noted that lost time has to be approved and will now be a rare occurrence.
There are no stipend changes in the budget, but that is an area that will be looked at in the future if there is further membership loss.

The revenue brought in by the Mobilization Committee’s 75th anniversary gala committee was higher than expected and it helped defray costs.

There is no money devoted to food for meetings; Tan notes that we need food at meetings in order to attract more members.

Tan notes the workplace strategy line might be a bit low; it cost the Guild $3,000 during the layoff/buyout negotiations in early 2009.

Irwin notes that anything above budget goes into the defense fund.

More on stipends: The Finance Committee, Irwin says, thinks some members can do without stipends; work might be shifted around to the office so that some stipends could be reduced or eliminated.

M/S/C Fairbanks/Davis: To approve the budget and send to the local.

Turnbull says the bylaws committee’s work is ongoing.

Tan update on 75th anniversary gala: The committee has done a very good job working within tight budget constraints and she would like to take the committee out to lunch as a reward; 166 tickets have been purchased; more than $3,000 has been raised.

Follow up on the stipends issue: The Guild should check with other locals to see what their approach is; Turnbull notes that not every local has a full-time service representative.
Next meeting: Local membership meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17 at CWA building, Elk St.
Note that the December executive and local meetings are moved up on the calendar as well to also avoid the holidays.

M/S/C Gormley/McShea: To adjourn at 12:33 p.m.

In attendance: Pat Gormley, Dick Fay, Bob Snyder, Carol Jones, Sue Kelley, Chuck Fischer, Tammy Turnbull, Aretha Willis, Kim Leiser, Beverly Gniewecki, Dave Irwin, Henry Davis, Phil Fairbanks, Sandy Tan, Brian Connolly.
Excused: Felice McMillon, Carolyn Raeke, Tom Buckham, Davie Robinson, Jim Heaney.