For the second time in a year, the Guild is moving its local offices.
The new digs are at 567 Exchange St., not far from the union’s old offices at the Larkin Building.
The move is part of the Guild’s ongoing effort to trim expenses in response to dwindling membership. The rent at Exchange is $250 a month, which translates into $6,900 in annual savings.
The Guild, with the approval of its Executive Committee, agreed to a month-to-month lease with the building’s owner, Avalon Development. The president of Avalon is Buffalo Board of Education member Chris Jacobs.
Before deciding on Exchange Street, the Guild looked at other locations, including space at the Main-Seneca Building and The Buffalo News.
In the end, the committee of Guild members formed to search for a new location recommended Exchange Street. The committee consisted of David Robinson and Jonathan Epstein of Editorial. Kim Leiser of Circulation and Local Service Representative Tammy Turnbull.
As part of its cost cutting, the Guild moved last summer from the Larkin to new offices on Chippewa Street, knowing full well that the move was a temporary one.
The union’s local enrollment has fallen at least 25 percent the past few years because of layoffs, buyouts and attrition at The Buffalo News.
Buffalo Newspaper Guild CWA Local 31026 