Securing an Extension; Preparing for 2020: Consumer Reports Ratifies Contract Extension

10/05/2018

For Immediate Release
October 5, 2018
For Media Inquiries:
Josh Austin, josh@nyguild.org | 484.269.0158

New York -- On October 4, 2018, with the support an eight-person strong bargaining committee, the membership at Consumer Reports ratified an eighteen-month contract extension, which extends the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) through December 31, 2019.

This extension includes a 2% general wage increase retroactive to July 1, 2018, and a 1% general wage increase six months later, effective January 1, 2019.  These increases coincide with a health care plan redesign that includes a new premium cost sharing structure by salary bands.

In understanding that the implementation of the new health care plan wasimplemented company-wide by management and contentious for the membership, the Bargaining Committee secured aforementioned wage increases considering the increased health care costs.

The NewsGuild will, and looks forward to, implementing a committee to evaluate the financial implications--company wide--of the new health care plan leading up to our 2020 negotiations.

As part of the settlement agreement, the trustees of the Adjustable Pension Plan (APP) will evaluate the potential effects of a change to the pension’s current fiscal year. The committee, with the cooperation of the trustees and under the advisement of the plan actuary, will examine changing the year from July 1 through June 30 to a calendar year (Jan. 1 through Dec. 31).       

With the pension benefit fluctuating each year based on various factors, a shift in fiscal year could have a positive impact on the accrual rate for members.

While remaining aspects of the contract remain unchanged and carry on through the expiration of the agreement, membership was vocal in their support of mobilizing and engaging more deeply in preparation for 2020.

Negotiations were led by Local Representatives Anthony Napoli and Kari Bienias and the Local’s Bargaining Committee, including Local Chair Anna Pierdiluca and Unit Chair Rich Handel, as well as Local President Grant Glickson.

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About the NewsGuild of New York
The NewsGuild of New York is the union for news professionals in America’s media capital. We are the workplace advocate for people in the media business, including some of the best journalists in the country. The national NewsGuild is the largest union for news professionals — and we are its biggest local, fearlessly representing nearly 3,000 journalists and other media employees at New York-based media organizations and their respective bureaus. We understand journalism, from print to digital to broadcast.

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