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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 statement on freedom of the press
“No matter how imperfect things are, if you’ve got a free press everything is correctible, and without it everything is concealable.” — Tom Stoppard, spoken by the character Jacob Milne in the play “Night and Day,” 1937
These words greet Buffalo News journalists every day as we walk into the newsroom. They serve as a constant reminder of our duty to hold the powerful accountable and to expose injustice.
Whatever your political beliefs, the existence of a free press has been widely embraced as an essential pillar of this democracy. It is enshrined in the Constitution, the First Amendment of which is etched in glass in our lobby.
But make no mistake: The press is now under attack.
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Guild executive committee minutes: Tuesday, April 24, 2018
President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.Motion/Second/Carried Kirchberger/Gawron to approve the general meeting minutes for March.“They’re very exceptional and complete,” said Tan.VP for Contract Administration Aaron Besecker issued his committee report.
The committee is meeting Thursday with management about three grievances, all which have previously been filed:– Photo use Niagara Weekend– Overreliance on stringers to produce NWeekend
– Geographical jurisdiction in C&RegionA Mike Kurilovitch story appeared in the local section; there was a discussion about this. Past practice has had Kurilovitch covering cops on weekends. -
Buyouts result in painful newsroom losses
The Editorial Department of The Buffalo News is expected to lose at least 16 Guild members as a result of targeted and voluntary buyouts that the company made available last month. The loss of so many veteran newsroom staffers at once is deeply troubling to the Guild.
Prior to these departures, the Guild represented 100 members on the newsroom floor, encompassing everyone responsible for reporting, fact-checking, designing and producing the paper, with the exception of upper management.
The buyouts, as they stand, represent a loss of 16 percent of the Guild-represented newsroom staff, and nearly a fifth of staff reporters and columnists.
“There’s no sugarcoating what a blow this is to journalism in Western New York,” said Guild President Sandy Tan. “We’re losing respected colleagues whose work has been invaluable to this newsroom and to this community.”
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Targeted buyouts in Editorial follow first-quarter losses from The News
The past few weeks have yielded a bumper crop of bad news for The News, and consequently, for Guild members. The News experienced its worst first quarter in decades and has embarked on a series of cost-cutting measures, including buyouts on the newsroom floor.
In May, management offered cash buyouts to nine Guild members in the Editorial Department.
The employees were told their jobs were either being eliminated or their hours slashed. The Guild members whom management approached included copy editors, designers, part-time reporters and clerical staff. More newsroom buyouts are expected.
In some ways, these painful events highlight the importance of the Guild at this paper. Since the buyouts were offered, the Guild has moved into high gear, disseminating information, negotiating better buyout packages and safeguarding Guild member rights.
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Vince “Jim” Ippolito
Vincent “Jim” Ippolito Sr., a former Guild member of Local 26 who helped organize the district managers at the Courier Express in the early 1960s, passed away Saturday, April 14.
Friends may call at the Hole-Parker Funeral Chapel, 160 Central Ave. in Silver Creek on Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. in the same location.
More infromation: IPPOLITO, Vincent E., Sr. “Jim”
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Volunteers needed for Guild’s annual community project with Riverkeeper
What: Buffalo Newspaper Guild’s annual cleanup event.
When: 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 21. Please arrive shortly before 9:45 a.m.
Where: Ohio Street Boat Launch, 421 Ohio St., near Father Conway Park on South Street.
Register: BNWaterKeeper.org/cleanupA litter cleanup of the small park at the Ohio Street Boat Launch on Saturday, April 21 will mark the seventh year of a Guild initiative to aid the Spring Shoreline Cleanup coordinated by Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper.
The annual effort is conducted in memory of our late friend and reporter John “Jay” Bonfatti. Jay, who died in 2008, loved the outdoors and believed strongly in caring for the environment.
Guild members, with volunteers from other groups, have helped clear tons of trash from this location, which has improved significantly in recent years with new developments.
Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting our major waterways. The cleanup involves more than 1,000 volunteers at about 40 sites. -
Guild executive committee minutes: Wednesday, March 14, 2018
President Sandy Tan called the meeting to order at 5:06 p.m, Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at The News’ second-floor conference room, One News Plaza.
Motion/Second/Carried Fairbanks/Tan to approve the general meeting minutes for January.“They are very entertaining,” Tan said. “I encourage everyone to read them.”Secretary Keith McShea said he would check past month’s minutes to make sure all had been approved.VP for Contract Administration Aaron Besecker issued his committee report.
A grievance meeting prior to this meeting. -
Guild members vote to ratify tentative agreement
The tentative agreement between The Buffalo News and the Guild was ratified today by a vote of 80-7.The three-year agreement, ending in July 2021, extends the current contract with no wage cuts or givebacks.The News also agreed to the Guild’s pilot project proposal to create a new job class, digital content producer, and restricts online freelancers from regular beat coverage, stories with high-anticipated news value, enterprise reporting or subject matter requiring ongoing coverage.
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Contract ratification vote scheduled for Feb. 15
The Guild has scheduled a ratification vote on the proposed contract with the News for Thursday, February 15. We urge all members to take time out to cast your ballots. Members may vote between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. in Louie’s Café on the News fifth-floor. Guild representatives will also be on hand from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. at the zone offices in Depew, Buffalo, Hamburg and Tonawanda for district managers and any other Guild members who wish to cast their ballots there.
The tentative agreement, if ratified, would extend the current contract for three years. Members would maintain a 9 percent contribution to the Guild’s base plan, current wages and other benefits. It would also launch a new pilot program that would encourage The News to hire a new classification of editorial Guild members, called “Digital Content Producers” who would produce online-only journalism content.
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Guild reaches tentative agreement on 3-year contract with no concessions or cuts to wages, benefits
The Buffalo News and the Buffalo Newspaper Guild reached a tentative, three-year agreement on Friday that, if ratified, will result in no wage or benefit cuts and no givebacks. It would also launch a new pilot program that would encourage The News to hire a new classification of editorial Guild members, called “Digital Content Producers” who would produce online-only journalism content.
In exchange, the Guild agreed to no raises or bonuses, and as part of the experimental project, offered to relax its wage scale, probationary period and work shift requirements for the new class of digital-only Guild members.
The two days of formal negotiations, possibly a record in Guild history, was set against a backdrop of both alarming revenue shortfalls for the company and months of informal talks between the Guild and management about ways to keep this year’s bargaining agenda limited, swift and focused on a few key issues.
“Both sides engaged in honest and pragmatic conversations leading up to bargaining,” said Guild President Sandy Tan. “That set the table for realistic expectations and proposals from the very start. I’m grateful for the conscientious efforts made by both sides to keep negotiations grounded and respectful. This was a welcome break from the past.”
Buffalo Newspaper Guild CWA Local 31026 