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Long Providence Struggle Ends, Boston Members Mobilize
After nearly four years, the Providence Newspaper Guild has reached a new agreement with Providence Journal management that improves wages, pensions and other benefits.
The contract is retroactive to January 2000 and expires December 2007.
Tim Schick, administrator for TNG-CWA Local 31041, credited the mobilization campaign, including support from District 1 members, and workers' determination against an employer cited by the National Labor Relations Board for 27 labor law violations.
TNG-CWA members held rallies, contacted advertisers for statements of support, raised their issues at a workers' rights board forum and conducted a media campaign to spotlight management's demands to cut health care and other benefits.
Local President John Hill said the proposal was a "huge achievement" for TNG, noting that the company was demanding unilateral control over health care and wages and was "dedicated to wiping us out." The agreement calls for a wage increase of at least 8 percent over the contract term, plus signing bonuses of $500 to $1,000. Other improvements include more choices for retirement and health benefits.
The agreement also includes language to protect workers from Bush administration efforts to restrict overtime
pay, by specifying which employees are exempt.
The Providence local also is bargaining for 275 newsroom and circulation workers at the Worcester Telegram, fighting to win first contracts at the Massachusetts newspaper.
Meanwhile, TNG-CWA members at the nearby Boston Globe have been expanding their mobilization campaign and building community support as they press the New York Times Co.-owned newspaper to bargain fairly over job security and health care issues.
The current contract at the Globe remains in effect. But bargaining has been difficult, with management holding health care benefits hostage to the changes it's demanding in seniority and layoffs, subcontracting and other issues, said Steve Richards, president of the Globe unit.
TNG-CWA represents about 1,200 advertising, newsroom and circulation workers at the Globe. Union members have held rallies and other public events while talks continue, and are working with Jobs with Justice activists and other groups to focus public attention on the company's demands to lay off workers without regard to seniority, increase workers' health care costs, subcontract work and move commercial work to any other Times Co. property.
The contract is retroactive to January 2000 and expires December 2007.
Tim Schick, administrator for TNG-CWA Local 31041, credited the mobilization campaign, including support from District 1 members, and workers' determination against an employer cited by the National Labor Relations Board for 27 labor law violations.
TNG-CWA members held rallies, contacted advertisers for statements of support, raised their issues at a workers' rights board forum and conducted a media campaign to spotlight management's demands to cut health care and other benefits.
Local President John Hill said the proposal was a "huge achievement" for TNG, noting that the company was demanding unilateral control over health care and wages and was "dedicated to wiping us out." The agreement calls for a wage increase of at least 8 percent over the contract term, plus signing bonuses of $500 to $1,000. Other improvements include more choices for retirement and health benefits.
The agreement also includes language to protect workers from Bush administration efforts to restrict overtime
pay, by specifying which employees are exempt.
The Providence local also is bargaining for 275 newsroom and circulation workers at the Worcester Telegram, fighting to win first contracts at the Massachusetts newspaper.
Meanwhile, TNG-CWA members at the nearby Boston Globe have been expanding their mobilization campaign and building community support as they press the New York Times Co.-owned newspaper to bargain fairly over job security and health care issues.
The current contract at the Globe remains in effect. But bargaining has been difficult, with management holding health care benefits hostage to the changes it's demanding in seniority and layoffs, subcontracting and other issues, said Steve Richards, president of the Globe unit.
TNG-CWA represents about 1,200 advertising, newsroom and circulation workers at the Globe. Union members have held rallies and other public events while talks continue, and are working with Jobs with Justice activists and other groups to focus public attention on the company's demands to lay off workers without regard to seniority, increase workers' health care costs, subcontract work and move commercial work to any other Times Co. property.