In The News: Tough Talks Yield Guild Contracts in Four Cities

Difficult and even bitter battles at the bargaining table have ultimately led to contracts for members of The Newspaper Guild-CWA in Philadelphia, Boston, San Jose and Honolulu.

"These were tough, tough fights, and the contracts aren't pretty but neither is the industry right now," TNG-CWA President Linda Foley said. "In each one of these struggles, the local Guild leadership and bargaining committee stepped up to the challenges they faced and vigorously represented their members."

The December ratification votes approved a three-year contract at Philadelphia's two daily newspapers, four-year contracts at the Boston Globe and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and a two-year contract at the San Jose Mercury News in California.

Nationwide, newspapers have cut 34,000 jobs over the past five years and recently have announced thousands of further cuts. Guild members across the country protested in December to draw attention to the crisis. See story Page 11.