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  • Trouble on our doorstep. Read all about it in the summer/fall edition of The Frontier Reporter

    Trouble on our doorstep. Read all about it in the summer/fall edition of The Frontier Reporter

    We had some political mayhem and the close of Lee Enterprises’ fiscal year, all of which has spelled trouble for the Guild. Check out new features and all the Guild news you may have from the summer and fall in the latest edition of The Frontier Reporter newsletter.

    Frontier Reporter – Summer_Fall 2025Download

  • 2021 was a tumultuous year, challenging but filled with accomplishments

    At some point, I’m sure we’ve all felt that the oppressive gloom of 2021 might last forever. As Guild president and as a reporter, there were many days when I had a front-row seat overlapping waves of bad news. I was writing about the Covid health crisis and working with fellow bargaining team members to negotiate the toughest Guild contract negotiations of our careers.

    And just when we seemed to wrap things up, Alden Global Capital, “destroyer of newspapers,” tried to take over our parent company, Lee Enterprises.

    Do I wish I had an easier year? Of course.

    But looking back, I also feel tremendously grateful and proud. Grateful to be part of a team that managed to accomplish so much under such difficult circumstances, and proud to know that I, alongside smart and committed union colleagues, managed to meet some of the greatest challenges our union has ever faced.

    (more…)

  • Executive Committee Meeting Minutes: Nov. 10, 2021

    President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:06 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, on Zoom.

    New Business

    Tan announced that Past President Phil Fairbanks is stepping down from the executive committee. She thanked him for his service to the Guild, particularly during the recent contract negotiations and mobilization effort. Tan said the past president’s seat on the executive committee is likely to remain vacant at this point.

    (more…)

  • Local Meeting Minutes: Oct. 13, 2021

    President Sandy Tan called the afternoon meeting to order at 12:05 p.m. Tuesday Oct., 13, 2021, via Zoom.

    (more…)

  • Executive Committee Meeting Minutes: Oct. 12, 2021

    President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, on Zoom.

    The executive committee has not received the minutes for its July meeting. Motion/Second/Carried Besecker/Harrington to approve the minutes of the Sept. 15 executive committee meeting.

    (more…)

  • Guild, other Lee unions take a stand against Alden takeover

    The Buffalo Newspaper Guild and 11 other unions at newspapers owned by Lee Enterprises are urging Lee’s board of directors to reject any purchase offer by Alden Global Capital.

    The purchase offer represents a threat to the newspapers and the communities they serve, the unions told the board, because Alden makes its profits “by gutting newsrooms.”

    (more…)

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  • College scholarships available to Guild member families

    10.16.21 — The Western New York Communication Workers of America Council is accepting applications for the 2022 E.J. Mays Scholarship, which is awarded to a CWA member, a CWA member’s child, grandchild or spouse from a participating local in the Western New York Communication Workers of America Council, which includes the Buffalo Newspaper Guild. 

    The Council will offer 10 scholarships of $1,500 each. 

    The Council is made up of nine CWA locals and the Retirees Chapter in the eight Western New York counties, and the Mays Scholarships are funded by the annual E.J. Mays Golf Tournament and E.J. Mays Annual Awards and Scholarship Reception.

    The 2022 E.J. Mays Scholarship application is now available on the council website; there is both a PDF form and a fillable form that applicants can type into and email without having to print anything. 

    Applications must be returned to a member’s local for verification by Nov. 9, and will be submitted to the Western New York Communication Workers of America Council through the Buffalo Newspaper Guild by Nov. 15.

    The Western New York Communication Workers of America Council will draw scholarship winners by lottery on Nov. 16. 

    Scholarship application, and to learn more on E.J. Mays, for whom the scholarship is named: https://cwad1.org/cwa-local-1133/ej-mays-scholarship

  • Executive Committee Meeting Minutes September 2021

    President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, on Zoom.

    Tan noted Keith McShea vacated the Guild secretary’s position. Tan nominated Steve Watson from Editorial to fill the position for the remainder of McShea’s term, which runs through December 2022. There were no other nominations for the post. Motion/Second/Carried Tan/Besecker to approve Watson’s appointment as secretary. Tan welcomed Watson to Guild leadership.

    M/S/C Leiser/Pesarchick to approve the minutes of the April 14 executive committee and the April 28 general membership meetings. 

    M/S/C Leiser/Sommer to approve the minutes of the May 17 executive committee and May 19 general membership meetings.

    Tan said the executive committee still is waiting to receive the minutes of the June and July meetings from its former secretary. (more…)

  • Local Meeting Minutes May 2021

    President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at noon Wednesday, May 19, 2021 via Zoom.

    Vice President for Contract Enforcement Aaron Besecker said that most of the current grievances would be handled as a part of contract negotiations. 

    Vice President for Mobilization and Communication Rachel Lenzi thanked members for their participation in several mobilization initiatives, including social media, lawn signs and videos; she also urged that members wear Guild masks. 

    Tan said she has seen very early signs of progress in negotiations as a result of mobilization.

    Tan discussed the mobilization committee’s most recent meeting and asked for feedback from members. 

    She also detailed public support that the Guild was receiving.  

    After an update on the quote-unquote “optimization” plans that have wreaked havoc with circulation, a part-time district manager shared how this situation has stressed the DMs. 

    Tan adjourned the meeting at 12:57 p.m. 

    Approximately 25 Guild members attended the meeting. 

    A similar meeting with similar-sized attendance was held at 5:30 p.m.

     

  • Executive Committee Meeting Minutes May 2021

    President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. Monday, May 17, 2021 via Zoom.

    Secretary Keith McShea acknowledged that he owed the committee general and executive minutes for February and executive minutes for March. 

    Motion/Second/Carried Sommer/Gawron to approve the executive committee minutes for April.  

    Grievance Committee Report

    Vice President for Contract Enforcement Aaron Besecker said that most  of the current grievances would be handled as a part of contract negotiations.  (more…)

  • Local Meeting Minutes February 2021

    Executive Officer Kim Leiser called the meeting to order at 12:05 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, 2021 via Zoom.

    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.

    Grievance Committee Report 

    Leiser said there are three active grievances: sports clerk work being done outside the unit; inside circulation work being done outside the unit; and a grievance filed over sponsored content.  (more…)