October 24, 2005

Let’s Get It Done

New York Guild President Enters

Talks in Effort to Expedite an Agreement

 

            At the most recent bargaining session, held Wednesday, October 19, at Newspaper Guild headquarters, New York Guild President Barry Lipton took a seat at the bargaining table alongside other Guild bargainers, signalling to management that the Guild wants to expedite the talks and come to a fair agreement. The company has also expressed a desire to move things along, but regressive proposals that it seems wedded to might slow things down.

 

           As you may know from reading previous Spotlights, management negotiators have not exactly been quick to supply the Guild team with written proposals and information required by the union in order to properly negotiate the new contract terms.

 

Paring Down the Issues

 

           President Lipton told the company that his role in the talks is to function as a  “closer,” working to wrap up outstanding non-economic issues important to the Guild, then immediately address the few economic proposals (e.g., wage increases) that each side presents near the end of the talks. The issues that the Guild feels are ripe for settlement are: job evaluations, probation periods for new employees, and benefits. Still presenting problems are company proposals for: a Ratings Department trading policy that would require Ratings employees to hold stocks for at least 60 days before selling them for profit, allowing outside companies to dictate how work they contract to S&P is to be done by Guild members and under what rules the employees will work, and a telecommuting policy that the Guild finds troubling.

 

           Outside attorney Steve Macri, representing management at the negotiations, said, “I think we’re in trouble here.” Macri explained that S&P wants both the Ratings and the work-contracting policies, in order to better do business in the current economic climate. President Lipton responded that the Guild understands its obligations to bargain fairly and will fulfill them, but he added that the union does not see how discussing these policies would be conducive to reaching an agreement in a timely fashion.

 

           It should be noted that figures released last week by the company show that McGraw Hill's revenues were up by almost 18% over last year’s third quarter results, with revenue from S&P (the financial services segment) up some 15% from the same period. Revenue for the financial services’ segment increased by almost 21%, while operating profit jumped by almost 25%, as compared to the same quarter last year.  The union believes that’s a pretty good indicator that Guild employees are doing one heck of a job for the company, without the need for such unfriendly worker policies, even in this economic climate.

 

Benefits Surprise Dismays Guild Bargaining Team

 

In our bargaining for a new contract, one of the items that we have the right to negotiate over is our health benefits. We are doing that, so it came as an unwelcome surprise to learn that, last week, the company “jumped the gun” and arbitrarily told employees, in its open enrollment posting to the staff, how much the 2006 health benefits will cost them. The Guild formally requested that the open enrollment period be extended until negotiations on benefits are concluded and there is an agreement between the parties on members’ health costs.

 

           As long as the open enrollment period is in effect, employees may make changes to their selections if they wish. If you have already made your choices, don’t worry.

 

           We will continue to keep you advised as the issues unfold.

 

           The next bargaining session is scheduled for October 28^th.

 

10/24/05

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