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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.
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Guild executive committee minutes — special meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020
President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 12:07 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.
The meeting was called after this morning’s news that The Buffalo News was sold to Lee Enterprises.
Tan informed the executive committee of what she knew about the sale.
She pointed to the two tweets that the Guild had sent out via @BuffaloGuild:
“We are shocked and deeply concerned about the sale of @TheBuffaloNews to Lee Enterprises. We care deeply about all the employees here that this affects, including the more than 200 staffers represented by the Guild.
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Our leadership team is meeting, and we are in the process of researching and sharing what this means for our members. We will continue to do everything possible to safeguard the outstanding local journalism product that our @BuffaloGuild colleagues produce.” -
Statement on the sale of The Buffalo News to Lee Enterprises
Since word broke this morning about the sale of The Buffalo News to Lee Enterprises, the Guild leadership team has scrambled to research all the implications this may have for our members. While there is limited information we know right now, we want to assure all members that we are doing everything possible to find out what this means for us and to answer as many questions as possible.
Just since this morning, Guild leaders have had a preliminary meeting to discuss the sale and been in touch with national NewsGuild-CWA leaders. We are continuing those conversations tomorrow and in the days ahead. We have also been in the process of gathering more information about the sale and how this will impact the employees here, including the more than 200 who are represented by the Guild. We have also posted a statement on Twitter.
For now, what is most important is for our members to know that our contract remains in full force and effect, and will continue to remain in place even after Lee Enterprises assume full ownership in March. Those working in Prepress should also know their current contracts also remain in effect.
We have a regular membership meeting scheduled for Feb. 12. If we need to have one sooner, we will. In the meantime, we will send our members information and updates as soon as we have reliable answers. Please feel free to reach out to your department’s Guild representative or to our Administrative Officer Kim Leiser if you have any pressing concerns. We discourage anyone from publicly speculating on details that neither the Guild nor The News has confirmed.
Regardless of who owns us, the Guild will, as always, do everything in its power to safeguard the work we do and the people who do it. Stay tuned for more to come.
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Guild executive committee minutes: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020
President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.
Motion/Second/Carried Hipp/Mooney to approve the October executive committee minutes.
Secretary Keith McShea owes the minutes for November and December.
The Mobilization Committee report came via President Sandy Tan, who noted that the 2019 Frontier Reporter looked back at our 2019 accomplishments.
“It’s one of the few years we’ve had labor peace,” Tan said. “The Guild leadership team still has been very busy but the fact that we have been able to work things out with management given the state of our industry very positive thing.”
Treasurer Diana Gawron’s Finance Committee update included how Gawron, the new treasurer, had her first meeting today with Administrative Officer Kim Leiser. Leiser noted that the main item of discussion was the Christmas Party breakdown, which will come later in the meeting.
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Guild executive committee minutes: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019
President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.
October minutes are complete but will wait until next month. Secretary Keith McShea owes November minutes as well.
The TNG President’s national election winner is Jon Schleuss, beating incumbent Bernie Lunzer; 51 voters voted from the Buffalo Guild, which is about a third of our members.
Nothing from the Grievance Committee.
New business.
The party was outstanding, President Sandy Tan reported. There was an improvement in the amount of noshows, Aaron Besecker did a “phenomenal job” as DJ, Typographical folks brung it big-time.
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Holiday party closes out 2019 with cheer
Members of the Guild, retirees and family members, gathered at Templeton Landing on Friday, Dec. 6 for the annual holiday party.
The Lonnie Hudgins Memorial Singers performed modified carols again this year and members of the Typographical Union No. 9 joined Guild members for the first time.
Here are some photos from the party.
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Guild executive committee minutes: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019
President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.
There are no minutes.
Administrative Officer Kim Leiser asks for nominations for executive officer positions.
Keith McShea nominates Sandy Tan for president.
Leiser, hearing no nominations, declares Sandy Tan president by acclamation.
Keith McShea nominates Aaron Besecker for Vice President for Contract Enforcement.Tan, hearing no nominations, declares Besecker VP for Contract Enforcement.
Tan asks for nomination for Vice President for Mobilization and Communication.
Mike Harrington nominates Rachel Lenzi.
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Cast your Guild vote Tuesday
Vote from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the fifth-floor cafeteria
Earlier this year, The NewsGuild held a contested unionwide election for president. Incumbent candidate Bernie Lunzer faced a challenge from Los Angeles’ Jon Schleuss.
Based on several election challenges, The NewsGuild must re-run the election.
Lunzer is the current president of The NewsGuild. He has been a national officer since 1995. Schleuss is a data and graphics journalist at the Los Angeles Times, who helped lead the L.A. Times Guild’s unionization efforts in 2018.
Guild members who work in The Buffalo News building are strongly encouraged to vote from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday in The News’ fifth-floor cafeteria. Members who do not work in the building have already received their ballots by mail.
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Guild’s Holiday Party set for Dec. 6
Click below to open the image in a new tab for higher resolution.
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Welcome event for Typographical Union merger Nov. 6
Mark your calendars!
To welcome the two dozen Buffalo News employees previously represented by the Typographical Union, the Guild will host a welcome event on the second floor at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 for all Guild members. More details to come.
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Guild Executive Committee approves Buffalo-Niagara Typographical Union merger
It’s official! The Buffalo Newspaper Guild Executive Committee unanimously voted to approve the merger agreement with the Buffalo-Niagara Typographical Union No. 9, CWA Local 14148.
Typographical Union President Harold Rehm and Guild President Sandy Tan signed the merger agreement Tuesday, which was immediately ratified by the Executive Committee. Additional paperwork to gain official News Guild and CWA recognition of the merger was also signed.
“This is a great day for the Guild and for the members of the Typographical Union,” Tan said. “We are so much stronger together.”
Buffalo Newspaper Guild CWA Local 31026 