Agenda emailed prior to meeting:
Guild Executive Committee Meeting Agenda for July 2013
Approval of minutes
Committee Reports
— Finance: Quarterly budget report, Kim Leiser
— Grievance: Mark Sommer
— Mobilization: Sandy Tan
Old Business
— Update on contract negotiations: Bargaining team members
— Update on Guild picnic: Tammy Turnbull.
— Update on outreach projects: Sandy Tan, Mark Sommer, Phil Fairbanks
New Business
–Cancel August 2013 Executive Committee Meeting/Adjust September 2013 Executive Committee Meeting Date
–Move August 2013 Local Meeting into September 2013
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Monday, July 22, 2013
President Henry Davis called the meeting to order at 4:39 p.m, July 22, 2013 at The News’ second-floor meeting room, One News Plaza.
Motion/Second/Carried Leiser/Harrington
Committee reports
Phil Fairbanks not present to discuss outreach.
Mark Sommer not present to discuss grievances.
Sandy Tan reported for mobilization and said the successful playing cards initiative would be completed next month.
Treasurer Kim Leiser handed out the budget to date and went over various points.
* Currently the Guild is $2,793.99 under budget.
* It was a big year for meetings.
* The defense fund would take care of lost time bill if necessary.
* In response to a question regarding the hospital reimbursement funds, she said that it was part of the general fund; and noted that perhaps those reimbursements might not be necessary with the new contract.
* Mobilization budget line covered playing cards, outreach meetings and the Holiday Party.
Motion/Second/Carried Besecker/Tan to accept the Treasurer’s report.
/Harrington
Davis updated the committee on the tentative agreement reached by The News and The Guild. The executive committee was generally pleased with the details of the agreement.
In planning the ratification vote, it was noted by Long and Gormley that perhaps there could be a way for district managers to vote at a more convenient time considering their schedules.
Votes have to be taken all on the same day; it was suggested that perhaps there could be one DM office open for voting in the early-morning hours. Davis said it would be looked into for future ratification votes.
“Something to think about for next time if not this time,” said Long.
Informational meetings for the ratification votes were set for Wednesday, July 31 at noon and 5 p.m. in The News auditorium.
The vote itself will be conducted Thursday, Aug. 8
Tan said the mobilization committee would get guild members to be part of the ratification committee, which mans the ballot box.
Tan said a playing card would be used as a memo for the dates/times.
M/S/C Davis/Long to postpone the August executive and general membership meetings to September in order to avoid vacations and maximize attendance; the new date for the executive meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 4:30 p.m.; the new date for the general meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 18 at noon & 5 p.m.
Returning to the issue of the tentative agreement …
M/S/C Tan/Robinson that the executive committee endorse the tentative contract agreement between the Guild and The News.
Davis offered his thanks to the bargaining team: “It was a short but tough negotiation. It is getting tougher as revenues continue to decline.”
Tan: “Kudos to the whole team.”
Besecker thanked his fellow members of bargaining team.
M/S/C Davis/Leiser to donate $30 to the Tom Borrelli Memorial Fund for an advertisement in the golf tournament/awards presentation program.
Turnbull said there are hopes to have a picnic, something right after work, perhaps in a park.
Also in the works are guild baseball caps which feature the Guild logo on the front.
M/S/C Besecker/Tan to adjourn at 5:19 p.m.
Attendance: President Henry Davis, Vice President/Mobilization Sandy Tan, Treasurer Kim Leiser, Secretary Keith McShea, office manager Tammy Turnbull, ABC chief steward Felice McMillion, classified delegate Beverly Gniewecki, classified chief steward Renee Mikler, past president Pat Gormley, district manager delegate Brian Long, district manager chief steward Dick Fay, editorial delegates Aaron Besecker, Mike Harrington and David Robinson.
Excused: District manager delegate Bob Snyder, editorial delegates Phil Fairbanks and Denise Jewell Gee and editorial delegate/clerks chief steward Susan Kelley.
Absent: Vice President/Grievances Mark Sommer, editorial delegateand nightside chief steward Mike Pesarchick.
Buffalo Newspaper Guild CWA Local 31026 