Posted on 12/21/2011 5:33:35 AM PST by abb
Labor unrest is simmering just below the surface at the New York Times Co., and the unions appear to be gearing up for a protracted fight.
Sources say that the Communications Workers of America, the parent union of the Newspaper Guild and others, has earmarked a $350,000 war chest and hired the politically connected public relations firm of BerlinRosen to advise in what seems to be shaping up as a pivotal battle among several unions.
The Newspaper Guild, which claims to represent about 1,000 journalists and photographers at the flagship, and the smaller Mailers Union Local 6, with about 170 production members, both have been without a contract since March 31.
Back in October, six different locals — including the Guild and the Mailers — sent a letter to Arthur “Pinch” Sulzberger Jr., chairman and publisher of the Times, and then-President and CEO Janet Robinson.
The letter went out from Allied Printing Trades Council President Art Delanni but was signed by Guild President Bill O’Meara, and Pressman’s President John Heffernan, whose local contract still has another six years to run, and three other locals.
“Notwithstanding the improvement in the Times’ economic picture, you have given damaging proposals to the Guild representing your reporters and staff, who are at the core of the very product the Times offers to its customers,” said Delanni.
The letter also claims that current Times management is reneging on past lifetime job guarantees given to trade unions in exchange for previous concessions. “Promises made to long-term craft employees, who received lifetime job guarantees in return for substantial concessions, are now ignored,” wrote Delanni.
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(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
ping
What are they going to do? Threaten to strike if they close the doors?
I support the Union! Make the Times PAY!! Power to the people! The NYTimes is the man!
Wow, lifetime job guarantees. Must be nice. No other company in the world can guarantee a job for a person’s lifetime, but that flopping newspaper can. (shakes head)
It’s always ugly and generally boring when the bottom feeders start eating one another.
Just no honor among Democrat thieves!
Paging Carlos Slim!
Do these clever union types believe a *Mexican* billionaire is going to give a damn what they want?
Yep!
“Occupy The New York Times...”
The top left wingers in charge of the NY Slimes are poster girlie boys for elite left wingers.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-chicago-suntimes-owner-20111220,0,5139558.story
Sun-Times sale expected to be announced Wednesday
http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2011/12/cnns-ireport-produces-controversy-llama-photos/
CNN’s iReport Produces Controversy, Llama Photos
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2011/12/times_terminates_blogging.php
Times ‘terminates’ blogging pressman Ed Padgett
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/marcus-brauchli-washington-post_n_1160462.html
Marcus Brauchli, Washington Post Editor, Gathers Veteran Staffers To Steady Uneasy Newsroom
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-20/sam-zell-sues-shareholders-over-tribune-buyout-he-engineered-1-.html
Billionaire Sam Zell Sues Shareholders Over Tribune Buyout He Engineered
Man... union thugs vs. the NYT... who to root for... Can’t they both lose and just take each other down with them?
However, if the unions are right and the NYT is unilaterally abrogating past deals, I’d have to be on the union’s side this time.
Contracts are only for the Little People.
True, but it’s also not unheard of for the unions to misrepresent the situation, either.
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