March 20, 2007

Lots of Posturing, Little Progress

Guild proposal to narrow focus is rebuffed by Time Inc.

On Monday, the first of four straight days of negotiations scheduled between the Guild and the company, Barry Lipton, president of the New York Guild Local, opened the day with the idea of concentrating efforts on core proposals — each side would clear out the deadwood and keep a limited number of proposals that they cared the most about.

After each side caucused, the Guild had narrowed its proposals to a manageable eight — but the company’s outside lawyer, Jonathan Sulds,  said, when asked about its list, “We want to hear yours first. We’re not prepared to take anything off the table.”

Obviously the Guild couldn’t respond to this, so both sides slogged through their dozens of proposals before a very small, overwhelmingly one-sided package was presented by the company: the Guild was to withdraw five major proposals, some with multiple components, in exchange for the company’s withdrawal of one proposal, compromise on one of the Guild’s proposals (adoption allowance) and a couple of tiny modifications on relatively minor issues.

The negotiations will resume today at 1:30 p.m. in the seventh-floor conference room. The Guild invites everyone to attend. Come whenever you want, stay as long as you want, bring your lunch if you want; there are plenty of extra chairs, and you can come and go without disturbing anyone.

All employees should be interested in these negotiations — they will have a big impact on your future!

 

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3/20/07