Boston Newspaper Guild

Management Bonus Memo

2008-05-13T18:18:44Z

May 12, 2008

TO: P. Steven Ainsley Harriet Gould Greg Thornton FROM: Daniel Totten, President BNG RE: Management Bonus 2006/2007 The Boston Newspaper Guild is well aware that the NYT/Boston Globe has once again provided bonus payments to its executives and managers. We ask: is this a fiscally responsible action by a company that is in a “wage and hiring” freeze, has stated time and again it is looking at costs cutting throughout the company, has streamlined, outsourced and bought out and laid off Guild members by the hundreds over the last several years? Revenue and Circulation figures are shared with the BNG by Globe, with great concern by Globe and Guild of their downward trend. Apparently this concern is not great enough for executives and managers to forgo bonus payments. Are these bonus payments for a job well done? Revenue and circulation would suggest otherwise. Are these bonus payments for forcing members and employees towards enough discomfort that they feel compelled to early exits of their beloved careers? Perhaps in an act of fiscal responsibility and leadership, management will give back their bonus payments and forgo any future bonus payments until positive signs are recorded in Revenue and Circulation. cc: D. Wanger

TNG Election Results

2008-05-01T17:25:12Z

The Newspaper Guild (TNG)
Election Results
Boston Newspaper Guild, Local 31245 President Bernie Lunzer 208 Linda Foley 67 Secretary/Treasurer Carol Rothman 181 Scott Stephens 80 International Chairperson Connie Knox 202 Lois Kirkup 50 TNG Elections were conducted at the Boston Globe on April 24, April 28 and April 29, 2008. ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Patrick Daly BNG Election Commissioner

REMINDER NOTICE: TNG Elections

2008-04-23T20:49:24Z

Dear Boston Newspaper Guild Members: Reminder, TNG elections starting this week. See all below.Elections are on site at Boston Globe (Link Conference Room Next to Cafeteria on 3rd floor) Please make every effort to get to the polls and vote. Thank You ! Dan Totten BNG Local 31245 of the TNG-CWA
Election of TNG (The Newspaper Guild)–CWA 2008 Officers Dates:

Thursday April 24, 2008 11AM-8PM
Monday April 28, 2008 8AM-2PM
Tuesday April 29, 2008 12PM-6PM

Location: The “Link” Conference Room Boston Globe 3rd Floor, next to the cafeteria. TNG officers/positions to be voted upon: Candidates TNG President : Linda Foley Bernie Lunzer TNG Secretary Treasurer: Scott Stephen Carol Rothman TNG International Chairperson: Lois Kirkup Connie Knox Term of office will be from 6/23/08 through 6/2011. Questions and requests for absentee ballots may be directed to Election Commissioner Patrick Daly at (617) 462-2246. This notice is in accordance with TNG Sector Election and Referendum Committee (SERC) Election Rules.

Delegates Elected TO CWA Convention

2008-04-23T20:47:00Z

Four candidates were nominated April 22 for the four delegate positions allotted to the Boston Newspaper Guild for the CWA Convention being held June 23 – 25, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The four candidates nominated were Dan Totten, Scott Steeves, Carl Younger, and Kathy McCabe. Additionally, Kathie Dalton was nominated as an alternate delegate. Under TNG-CWA rules adopted by the Governing Board, if more than four candidates are nominated for the four positions, an election would be held. If four or fewer candidates are nominated for the four delegate positions, those candidates are declared duly elected.

Delegate Vacancy/Outside Advertising Sales

2008-04-16T19:31:11Z

There is a vacancy in the position of delegate to Outside Advertising Sales. If anyone is interested in the position, please contact the Union office at 617-773-3232 or send a fax to 617-302-2215.

Union Meetings on Break Time

2008-04-14T16:22:40Z

April 11, 2008

TO: Gregory Thornton Harriet Gould Samuel Martin P. Stephen Ainsley FROM: Daniel B. Totten RE: Union meetings with members on break time The Globe’s attached email to BNG members regarding a recent meeting Boston Newspaper Guild officers had with members in the West Zone office is unacceptable in tone, incorrect in content, and disappointing and alarming given the current newspaper climate at the Globe and throughout the newspaper industry. As BNG President, I visited the West Zone office along with BNG vice President Scott Steeves and brought coffee to our colleagues to enjoy on their coffee break. Boston Newspaper Guild members are contractually entitled to coffee breaks, lunch breaks, and VDT breaks. Rather than embrace open communication and direct dialogue, the Globe’s choice was to send a hostile communication to Guild members perpetuating an already distressed work environment. It’s a sad commentary that the Globe attempts to discourage dialogue amongst its members during a work break or anytime for that matter. The Boston Newspaper Guild will continue to communicate with its members during work breaks and we have no interest in disrupting the workplace, such as The Globe’s hostile email has achieved. We are very much about fostering a positive and progressive atmosphere among all employees. We would hope the Globe would share that philosophy. Rather than focusing on building internal relationships and striving to invigorate revenue streams, the Globe’s choice is to issue emails that are non-factual and regressive in pursuit of company-wide success. cc: David Wanger

Nominations Set for CWA Convention

2008-04-10T00:09:44Z

Nomination Time for Convention Delegates Set This is notice of the upcoming nomination of Boston Newspaper Guild delegates to the 70th Annual CWA Convention, which will be held June 23 – 25, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In accordance with the CWA Constitution, the Boston Newspaper Guild can send up to four delegates to the CWA Convention. Under the Constitution, if four candidates are nominated for the four delegate positions, the four candidates will be declared duly elected. If there are more than four candidates nominated, there will be an election for the four delegate positions. An alternate delegate, who would replace an elected delegate who is unable to attend the event, can also be nominated. The nominations for delegates will be held: Tuesday, April 22, 2008
5:30 pm
Boston Newspaper Guild office
47 Willard Street, Quincy

Notice of Election

2008-04-03T02:09:35Z

BNG Local 31245 of the TNG-CWA
Election of TNG (The Newspaper Guild)–CWA 2008 Officers Dates:

Thursday April 24, 2008 11AM-8PM
Monday April 28, 2008 8AM-2PM
Tuesday April 29, 2008 12PM-6PM

New Delegate/Zones

2008-03-15T03:51:13Z

At the March 11th Governing Board meeting, Katheleen Conti was nominated and appointed as the new delegate to the Zones. The BNG appreciates and thanks Katheleen for her willingness to fill this position.

The Boston Newspaper Guild 4th Annual College Scholarships

2008-03-15T03:47:32Z

Once again, the Boston Newspaper Guild is offering 5 college scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each to eligible immediate family (as defined in our CBA) of Boston Newspaper Guild members. BNG members must be in good standing (union dues current). The application process will be the same as previous years and required will be: * a brief letter of interest from the student, citing his/her relationship to a BNG member * proof of acceptance to or enrollment at an accredited 2 or 4 year college or university The deadline for the 2008 BNG College Scholarships will be 5pm on Monday, June 9, 2008. The winners will be chosen by lottery on Tuesday, June 10, 2008. Winners will be announced and contacted immediately by the Union. We are proud to announce that the Executive Committee officers and Governing Board delegates have decided to name one of the five scholarships in memory of our longtime Boston Globe colleague and labor reporter, Diane Lewis. Please send your letter of interest and proof of acceptance or enrollment to: Boston Newspaper Guild
Attn: College Scholarship Committee
47 Willard Street
Quincy, MA 02169 The Boston Newspaper Guild College Scholarship program draws many applicants each year, so be sure to get your application in by the deadline.

BNG Member, Sacha Pfeiffer to Judge 2008

2008-02-13T14:34:26Z

The Boston Newspaper Guild congratulates reporter Sacha Pfeiffer on being selected by The Newspaper Guild to judge the 2008 Haywood-Broun Awards. Haywood-Broun was the founder of the American Newspaper Guild, predecessor to TNG.

Carl Younger Wins TNG Scholarship

2008-02-13T14:32:46Z

The Boston Newspaper Guild congratulates Carl Younger, At-Large Executive Committee Officer as he nears completion of the 2008 Harvard Trade Union Program (HTUP) on labor studies. Carl Younger is The Newspaper Guild’s 2008 Irving-Leucter Scholarship winner for the year’s HTUP.

Journalism Ethics Policy Update

2008-01-28T20:50:58Z

To: All Guild members From: Dan Totten Re: Update on journalism ethics policy Under the contract we approved last year, we agreed to the terms of a proposed Globe Journalism Ethics Policy, with the exception of a limited number of provisions to be discussed by a joint committee representing the Globe and the union. I wanted to let you know that that committee is now at work discussing the disputed provisions, and that the ethics policy will be binding upon all Guild members who work in the news and editorial departments once the policy is approved by the committee. I have appointed Kim Blanton, Beth Daley, Kathleen Hennrikus, Michael Paulson and Jenna Russell to review the proposed policy and to represent the Guild on the negotiating committee; the Globe has appointed Ellen Clegg, Sean Keohan, Joe Sullivan, Mary Jane Wilkinson and Dan Zedek to represent management. I am leading the union’s negotiating team, and Harriet Gould is leading the paper’s team. The union consulted with employees in multiple departments before beginning negotiations, and, while agreeing in principle that a strong journalism ethics policy is desirable, has been pushing to improve due process and free speech protections for our members, as well as to make sure the policy is fair and realistic and that the policy does not lead to negative financial consequences for our members. The company has basically proposed imposing the policy that is in place at the New York Times newspaper; the union has already succeeded in winning changes to that policy that we believe address many of our members’ concerns, and we are pushing for further modifications. However, you should know that, in our view, the policy, if enforced, will mark a change in practice in a variety of areas. The union has asked the Globe to do a better job communicating to affected employees -- for example those in Arts and Sports who will be affected by tougher rules about acceptance of tickets from institutions we cover – about the rationale for and the implications of the new restrictions. The policy will not come before the membership for a vote – we agreed to the overall policy as part of the last contract, and it will become binding, for the duration of our contract, once the negotiating committee reaches agreement on about 25 remaining sticking points. The union has consulted our legal representative, David Wanger, on legal/language questions throughout the process. Once the journalism ethics policy is approved, the specific business-side union member committee, which has already been appointed, will begin to negotiate the business ethics policy. The business ethics policy will apply to Guild members who work on the corporate side of the building. A copy of the proposed journalism ethics policy, which already applies to newsroom employees who are not members of the Guild, can be found on the company’s home page at http://compass.globe.com/newsroom/announcements/ethics.htm Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

Memo to Ainsley & Thornton

2008-01-24T12:54:50Z

TO: Stephen Ainsley, Publisher Gregory Thornton, Senior Vice President FROM: Daniel Totten, President/BNG RE: Boston Globe Layoffs-Metro Story The Boston Newspaper Guild is disgusted to have read the Metro story about possible layoffs at the Boston Globe with no prior mention of reductions by Globe representatives to The Boston Newspaper Guild. The Boston Globe's response to the Union’s inquiry on this matter is that "no decisions have been made". If there’s any truth to the story in the Metro and there is in fact yet another reduction plan afoot, It's disgraceful the NYT/Globe did not have the common decency nor strength of character to discuss this matter before it was made public, nor even a phone call placed to The Boston Newspaper Guild to disclose such an item was breaking news, or request any input from The Boston Newspaper Guild on such an important decision by the NYT/Boston Globe. The Boston Newspaper Guild has endured far too many cutbacks, numbering well into the hundreds over the last few years. Successful companies do not reduce their finest asset, it's employees, to the bare bones and expect to maintain quality and achieve consistent success. Perhaps the time is long overdue for review of all NYT compensation for executives along with a cost benefit analysis of exactly what each and every manager from the very top on down, have brought to the company over the last few years. The fact remains that the Boston Newspaper Guild has ALREADY lost literally HUNDREDS of experienced, dedicated, LOYAL employees in a very short time, which is nothing short of a travesty and reflects horribly on the value the NY Times puts on it's Boston Globe employees - the human beings who have put out the Boston Globe product - an incredible product and effort, for well over a hundred years. The Boston Newspaper Guild demands NO MORE CUTBACKS of loyal union members. It is the Boston Newspaper Guild members who remain committed to producing the Boston Globe and maintaining it's quality and character -we expect the same commitment in return from The NY Times and Boston Globe.

Election Commissioner Vacancy Filled

2008-01-10T20:49:22Z

The BNG position of Election Commissioner has been posted and filled in accordance with BNG bylaw #4.2.7. At the Tuesday, January 8, 2008 Governing Board meeting, a discussion, nomination and unanimous vote was held to appoint Boston Newspaper Guild/Boston Globe retiree, Patrick Daly as the BNG's election commissioner. This vacancy was created when prior election commissioner Tim Foley resigned from The Boston Globe to pursue a new venture. Tim Foley did an excellent job as election commissioner and we thank Tim for his extraordinary efforts on all BNG elections over the last 2 years. In requirement of BNG bylaws, Patrick Daly was a BGEA & BNG union member in good standing for over 34 years. In addition, Pat was a BNG union delegate representing Advertising Outside Sales for a period during his Boston Globe career.