Guild executive committee minutes: Wednesday, March 11, 2020

President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.

December 2019 minutes, which had just been completed approximately 49 seconds before the meeting, were not approved.

There was no mobilization report as Vice President for Mobilization Rachel Lenzi was in Cleveland covering MACtion.

Tan mentioned that a wrapup of the State of The News meeting was distributed to members via print and not electronically.

Tan issued her President’s Report.

Tan wrote a note to News VP Brian Connolly regarding the full-page, front-page Tops advertisement.

Tan said that News managers agreed that manner that the advertisement appeared was a mistake, and that in the future a different typeface would be used, the advertising product would be labeled as such and in a more prominent position.

Tan mentioned that she sent a note to management’s Tammy Turnbull inquiring about The News’ contingency plans regarding the coronavirus, in regards to publishing, emergency plans in case of quarantine, etc., outside editorial. News Editor Mike Connelly recently sent a note to editorial employees in this regard.

Old business

Tan and Leiser provided an update on the Typographical Unit merger process.

New business

There was a discussion regarding the Gusto digital content producer; the Guild and The News have gone back and forth with different language.

Tan said that when the Guild merged with the Typographical Unit, the Guild said that a separate subcommittee of Typographical Unit members would determine how the Typographical Unit defense fund would be spent.

Motion/Second/Carried Tan/McShea to establish the Typographical Unit Defense Fund Committee, comprised of Karen Hipp, Charlie Abbott, Laura Struble and Sandy Tan

The committee held their first meeting on Tuesday.

Guild Administrative Officer Kim Leiser recapped the meeting and said there is a significant issue regarding the unit’s negotiated pension plan and a NPP withdrawal penalty payment.

M/S/C Robinson/Hipp to pay in full a $13,700 NPP withdrawal penalty payment.

Tan adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m..

Attendance: President Sandy Tan, Treasurer and inside circulation delegate Diana Gawron, Secretary Keith McShea, Administrative Officer Kim Leiser, Typographical dayside steward Karen Hipp, Typographical delegate Kathy Mooney, District manager steward Joan Portman, ABC chief steward Felice McMillion, Sun papers steward Lian Bunny, editorial delegate David Robinson, editorial delegate Mark Sommer.

Excused: Vice President/Grievances Aaron Besecker, Vice President/Mobilization Rachel Lenzi, Typographical Nightside steward Mark Hanover, nightside chief steward Mike Pesarchick, past president Phil Fairbanks.

Absent: District manager alternate delegate Bob Snyder, editorial delegate Mike Harrington, editorial delegate Scott Scanlon, editorial alternate delegate Jeff Miers.