President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 via Zoom.
Motion/Second/Carried Harrington/Gawron to approve the executive minutes for December 2020 and January 2021 once typos are corrected.
Grievance Committee Report
There was no report; Vice President for Contract Enforcement Aaron Besecker was excused.
President’s Report
Tan informed the executive board of a large local company who was interested in supporting the Guild in some way; the board discusses various possible methods.
Tan said she had a brief email exchange with publisher Tom Wiley, who said he would be open to a meeting with Guild members or executive committee members.
Mobilization Committee Report
Vice President for Communication and Mobilization Rachel Lenzi said the Guild would be rolling out its mobilization campaign in coordination with the start of bargaining. There would be a Twitter campaign including pinned tweets, “something that is visible and shows our solidarity.” There will be weekly or biweekly mobilization activities focusing on members displaying buttons, magnets, window clings, etc. via selfie photos.
Tan said that the Guild was looking for additional members to form a mobilization committee.
Old business
Tan referenced the Guild survey results and reviewed them briefly.
Negotiation update
Tan and Administrative Officer Kim Leiser summarized the first negotiating session on Tuesday. Originally there were sessions planned for Thursday as well as the following Tuesday and Thursday, but those were called off by the Guild after management’s proposals were unprecedented in size and scope.
“What we told them was, ‘we need a lot more time to come up with an appropriate response,’” Tan said.
Tan said District Manager Steward Joan Portman is joining the bargaining team, replacing Besecker, which Tan said worked out well because the company has made several proposals relative to DMs.
Leiser went through all of the company’s proposals, which would be disseminated to membership via an email flyer.
Tan and Leiser discussed the Guild’s current proposals as well as a handful of proposals that the Guild was working on formulating.
The committee discussed the various proposals as well as mobilization.
M/S/C Fairbanks/Harrington to have the Guild spend up to $10,000 to hire an actuary to do a separate review of the pension plan between the Guild and The News.
Members discussed the general membership meeting, which will be held Wednesday.
Tan and Phil Fairbanks discussed communicating with the Guild alumni chapter.
The teledoc proposal was tabled to next month’s meeting.
M/S/C Fairbanks/Gawron to move a general meeting up to Monday, Feb. 15 at noon and 5:30 p.m., both via Zoom.
Tan said the executive committee would be called on more frequently as negotiations continue.
After a discussion, the committee decided that a bargaining bulletin update will be emailed out and not shared on the Guild website. An additional discussion was held regarding the recipients of the bargaining bulletin.
Tan adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m.
Attendance: President Sandy Tan, Vice President/Mobilization Rachel Lenzi, Treasurer and Inside Circulation steward Diana Gawron, Secretary Keith McShea, Administrative Officer Kim Leiser, District Manager steward Joan Portman, Sun Papers steward Lian Bunny, Editorial delegate Mike Harrington, Editorial delegate Mark Sommer, Editorial delegate Scott Scanlon, Editorial delegate David Robinson, Past President Phil Fairbanks.
Excused: Vice President/Grievances Aaron Besecker.
Absent: Typographical dayside steward Hilary Osborn, Typographical nightside steward Mark Hanover, Editorial nightside steward Mike Pesarchick, District Manager alternate delegate Bob Snyder, Editorial alternate delegate Jeff Miers.
Buffalo Newspaper Guild CWA Local 31026 