Bargaining bulletin
DFM joint meeting #2
January 15, 2016
Guild negotiators from the BANG-East Bay and San Jose Mercury News met with Digital First Media management in a joint session on Friday to discuss the company’s proposed consolidation of the two bargaining units.
Committee members told the DFM representatives that any realignment of the two units would have to include continued representation of all workers now included. The Guild’s San Jose unit includes both editorial and advertising, while the East Bay has been editorial-only.
The company said it is still not prepared to offer an economic proposal. DFM lawyer Marshall Anstandig indicated the company would need at least two more weeks to be ready to talk about money terms.
Discussion on Friday focused on general outlines of a new collective bargaining structure. The company has suggested that one combined unit could cover most editorial staff, including workers involved in online news who are not part of either bargaining unit now.
The company has also suggested excluding outside sales executives. Guild representatives made it clear that we have no intention to disenfranchise anyone.
We also made it clear that the realignment talks cannot serve to delay bargaining on long-overdue pay raises. The parties agreed to schedule separate bargaining sessions in the East Bay and San Jose, as soon as the company can commit to being ready with proposals.
No dates were set on Friday.
Meanwhile, we are holding membership meetings in the BANG-East Bay and the Mercury News. The East Bay meeting will be on Jan. 20. A meeting at the Mercury News is set for Jan. 21. Similar membership meetings are being held across the country as part of the Guild’s national coordinated “News Matters” (#NewsMatters) DFM bargaining effort.
Please check your email for announcements.
Appearing for Guild: George Kelly, Danny Willis, Dan Rosenstrauch for BANG-East Bay; Karen de Sá and Karl Mondon for Mercury News; and Darren Carroll, Carl Hall and Kat Anderson for the Guild.
Company reps: Marshall Anstandig, Missy Miller (Denver), Karen Austin and Shannon Hogan.
