March 22, 2007
"We Want It All, and We Want It Now!"
Guild compromises are met with company
stonewalling
As the last day of the four-day crunch negotiations before the expiration of
the contract between the Guild and Time Inc. looms, no settlement appears
near. The Guild made major movements to address the company's stated "core
issues" of separation pay (severance and notice, in our Contract), overtime
and wages. Management responded, basically with no, no and no - and,
incidentally, a blanket lack of movement on all of the Guild's other
remaining proposals.
It is clear to the Guild that Time Inc. is in a "take no prisoners" stance.
Unless additional flexibility creeps into the Publisher's package of
proposals, no conceivable agreement can be reached.
It isn't for lack of trying on the union's part.
*The Guild made an innovative suggestion to allow straight-time overtime for
the company, of up to five hours per week: Time Inc. said no.
*The Guild made a reasonable initial wage proposal (three years of 4%
raises) based on our current general-increase (GI) raise structure: For the
first time ever, Time Inc. wants all raises to be merit-based, with no GI.
*The Guild offered to accept the Publisher's severance proposal and scale down our notice-pay structure, especially for newer employees: Time Inc. said no.
*The Guild has
also shown flexibility regarding the company's Temporary Employee hours
proposal.
Both sides have dropped a number of proposals, but many of the company's
worst ones, including the elimination of sabbaticals and a severe paring
down of tuition reimbursement, remain.
Where do we go from here?
The Guild will be hoping that management will rethink its intransigence
before the meeting later today. Thus far they have agreed to exactly one
proposal from the Guild that will cost them any money at all: The
adoption-reimbursement limit will rise from $5,000 to $10,000.
If the Guild doesn't see some gains in this Contract to go with the
givebacks, there can be no agreement. If Time Inc. doesn't preserve some of
our cherished benefits that we have fought for over decades, there can be no
agreement. If the company doesn't drastically improve its wage offer with
acceptable general wage increases, there can be no agreement. Having an
expired Contract is better than living with a bad Contract.
The talks today will probably resume around 1 p.m. in the seventh-floor HR
conference room. The Guild has been encouraged by the steady stream of
employee visitors to the talks, and we on the negotiating committee
encourage all employees to attend. Come any time after 1, and stay as long
as you like.
#####
03/22/07