Update: BANG Guild members are voting today on the tentative agreement. The electronic ballots have been distributed to members in good standing from “voteguild@mediaworkers.org.” Voting is open now and closes at 6 pm May 13, 2015. Please call administrative officer Kat Anderson if you have any questions and/or did not receive the email ballot.
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Your Guild bargaining committee has reached a tentative agreement with BANG East Bay management on a contract extension through Sept. 30, 2015.
The extension, which is subject to membership approval, comes as we continue to await news of the expected sale of DFM.
Your Guild bargaining committee – George Kelly, Danny Willis and Dan Rosenstrauch – recommends approval of the contract extension.
The extension is based on an amended offer made by BANG management in contract negotiations on April 28.
Under the terms of the extension, employees will receive two additional paid personal days on a one-time basis, to be used by Dec. 31. The days cannot be carried over, and will be forfeited if unused.
In exchange, employees must schedule by June 6 and use by Sept. 30 a third of their accrued vacation (based on their balance as of April 30, 2015). But no more than one week will need to be scheduled.
In addition, effective July 1, employees also must schedule by August 15 all of their vacation for the 2015 fiscal year (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016). Once scheduled, employees still may change vacation dates with agreement from their managers, consistent with practice.
The Guild’s contract with BANG expired June 30, 2012. If approved, East Bay members would join members in San Jose, suburban Philadelphia, suburban Detroit and Kingston, NY, all of whom voted to extend their contracts in April as the expected sale of DFM draws near.
Your Guild bargaining committee recommends that members vote to ratify this tentative agreement. There will be an electronic vote by or before May 13. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to ask questions. You can reach Guild Administrative Officer Kat Anderson on her cell at (415) 298-2265, or reach out to George, Danny or Dan.
