Agenda emailed prior to meeting:
Guild Executive Committee Meeting Agenda for September 17, 2014
Approval of minutes
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Committee Reports
— Finance: Kim Leiser
— Contract administration:Mark Sommer
— Mobilization: PhilFairbanks
Old Business
— Recap of Labor Day parade
— 2014 contract negotiationsupdate
New Business
— Approve expenditure of up to $2500 for a new office computer
— Seeking delegates to October Guild multi-council meeting in Albany
— Solidarity/support for other unions: Seeking volunteers to attend and report on monthly meeting of Buffalo Central Labor Council
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Wednesday, September 17, 2014
President Henry Davis called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m, September 17, 2014 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.
Mark Sommer’s report on grievances: There is one with circulation where “our work” has been transferred to management. We’re making sure we don’t lose our jurisdiction. The situation has been rolled into negotiations and we’re working that through.
Phil Fairbanks reported that there was a very successful turnout for the Labor Day parade. “Our stature in the labor community has risen and continues to rise,” he said.
Fairbanks reviewed a number of mobilization tactics planned for bargaining. He mentioned the cupcake event was very successful.
Old business:
Monday was the last session of negotiations. Henry Davis reviewed the status of negotiations.
New business
Henry Davis: “We need a new office computer. Our Windows XP is out of date. We really need to do something. We’re looking at some kind of Mac laptop. Kim [Leiser] uses it for financials. For security reasons, we are looking into a new computer and docking station along with a external hard drive backup system.”
Davis noted that we have had our current computer for 10 years, and that it had served us well. But he again noted that the major concern is having no support for it.
Motion/Second/Carried Harrington/Pesarchick to approve up to $2500 for a new Guild computer system.
M/S/C Besecker/Sommer to approve sending up to four delegates to The Newspaper Guild multi-council meeting Oct. 24-26 in Albany.
Davis said Kim Leiser will be one of the four delegates.
Davis discussed that he and Tammy Turnbull have represented the Guild at the Buffalo Central Labor Council’s meetings. He thinks our Guild should always be at these meetings, as they help us follow local labor developments, helps us make connections with other unions, and enhance our status in the local labor community.
Davis asked for volunteers to take turns attending these meetings so that the load is shared with Henry and Tammy. Meetings are held at Lucarelli’s in Lackawanna and generally last about an hour, Davis said. They are held on the second Tuesday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. They usually have a topic and/or speaker and they discuss local and national labor issues.
The executive committee agreed that this was a good idea; Davis will have a sign-up form of some sort ready starting with the Council’s 2015 meetings.
Davis said that the Guild was asked by another TNG representative to endorse a candidate for TNG president in the upcoming election. After a brief discussion, the committee decided that, as it has been, the Guild will remain neutral when it comes to TNG election endorsements.
M/S/C Davis/McShea to adjourn at 5:50 p.m.
Attendance: President Henry Davis, Vice President/Grievances Mark Sommer, Vice President/Mobilization Phil Fairbanks, Secretary Keith McShea, office manager Tammy Turnbull, ABC chief steward Felice McMillion, classified delegate Beverly Gniewecki, district manager chief steward Dick Fay, editorial delegates Aaron Besecker, Denise Jewell Gee, Mike Harrington and Sandy Tan, nightside chief steward Mike Pesarchick,
Excused: Treasurer Kim Leiser, classified chief steward Renee Mikler.
Absent: Past president Pat Gormley, district manager delegate Bob Snyder, editorial delegates David Robinson and Trey Bankhead, editorial delegate/clerks chief steward Susan Kelley.
Buffalo Newspaper Guild CWA Local 31026 