BNG Contract CommunicationsThe Boston Newspaper Guild reached a new tentative agreement with Globe management on a four-year contract that addresses two of the major concerns expressed by members who voted down a similar contract proposal Oct. 18.
The new agreement includes Boston.com revenue in calculations for possible wage increases. This new agreement also boosts the Company's contributions to the parties' Health Fund by nearly 20 percent, including an additional $50,000 payment into the health fund in 2008 and an additional payment into the health fund in 2009 of $50,000 and then effective in 2010 ongoing payments of $50,000.00 in perpetuity.
This tentative agreement is subject to ratification by majority membership vote. The membership vote will be held on Wednesday, December 13, 2006.
In the previous agreement that was voted down by members, the Health care funding as well as exclusion of Boston.com revenue from the wage structure, were major sticking points for BNG members. This was expressed to the company by the unions executive committee at the negotiating table as well as before and after the vote and through a petition signed by nearly 200 employees in Editorial. Numerous advertising sales employees and many others also strongly opposed the exclusion of Boston.com revenue.
The prior and current contract language includes the integration of Boston.com and Globe operations and would bring 39 Boston.com workers into the Guild. In exchange for the inclusion of Boston.com revenue, the Guild agreed to forego any bonus for 2006. Given the decline in revenue to date, it is highly unlikely those bonuses would have been paid anyway.
For potential raises in 2007 and 2008, year-over-year revenue comparisons will include Boston.com, which has shown significant growth but to date has not offset heavy losses in print revenue.
The new agreement calls for the Globe to contribute an additional $100,000 into the BNG Health Fund ($50,000 in 2007 and $50,000 in 2008 as mentioned above) bringing the total contribution over the life of the proposed contract to nearly $600,000.
Additionally, effective in 2010, $50,000 would be added to the Company's ongoing annual contributions to the Fund, bringing the total increase to the ongoing contributions under this agreement to $380,000. In exchange for the increased contributions, the Guild agreed to extend the period over which it cannot seek to represent the Boston.com workers not covered under this agreement through 2008.
All other provisions of the earlier agreement remain unchanged.
A mailing with the new language will be sent out to members homes’ next week.
Membership meetings will be held on Wednesday, December 6, 2006 to discuss the tentative contract agreement package prior to the vote.
Anyone with questions should contact Dan Totten, President of the Boston Newspaper Guild, 617 265 2666 (dtotten@bgol.org) or any member of the Executive Committee via telephone or email. Extensions and email addresses are available on the Governing Board page.
November 3, 2006