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Seattle Times Workers Ratify Contracts
Seattle - Members of the Newspaper Guild-CWA Local 37082 ratified new contracts with the Seattle Times, ending a nearly seven-week strike by some 800 newspaper workers.
Editorial, advertising and circulation workers ratified the six-year agreement by a 3 to1 margin. In a separate vote, workers in the composing room, members of the Printing, Publishing and Media Workers sector of CWA, ratified their contract by a similar margin.
The strike by more than 900 workers at the Seattle Times and the Post-Intelligencer began on Nov. 21. The two papers are owned separately but publish under a joint operating agreement and negotiate in tandem with TNG-CWA. Workers at the Post-Intelligencer ratified
a separate contract Dec. 27-28 and returned to work Jan. 2.
The agreement provides for a wage increase of $3.30 over the contract term, eliminates a two-tier wage system in the editorial department, improves medical insurance benefits and includes upgrades in some job classifications. It safeguards the job security of striking workers; nearly all will be able to return to work within 90 days with all others back on board within another 90 days. All permanent replacements hired during the strike will be let go within eight weeks.
TNG-CWA President Linda Foley expressed appreciation to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Richard Barnes, head of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, for their efforts in helping to bring about the settlement.
"I know all our members join me in thanking both Sen. Murray and Richard Barnes of the FMCS, who put in long hours, from the very start of negotiations, enabling us to reach this agreement," Foley said.
Murray facilitated the negotiations, bringing the parties together in her Washington, D.C., office, where Barnes joined in the marathon session, continuing his role as mediator during the talks.
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Editorial, advertising and circulation workers ratified the six-year agreement by a 3 to1 margin. In a separate vote, workers in the composing room, members of the Printing, Publishing and Media Workers sector of CWA, ratified their contract by a similar margin.
The strike by more than 900 workers at the Seattle Times and the Post-Intelligencer began on Nov. 21. The two papers are owned separately but publish under a joint operating agreement and negotiate in tandem with TNG-CWA. Workers at the Post-Intelligencer ratified
a separate contract Dec. 27-28 and returned to work Jan. 2.
The agreement provides for a wage increase of $3.30 over the contract term, eliminates a two-tier wage system in the editorial department, improves medical insurance benefits and includes upgrades in some job classifications. It safeguards the job security of striking workers; nearly all will be able to return to work within 90 days with all others back on board within another 90 days. All permanent replacements hired during the strike will be let go within eight weeks.
TNG-CWA President Linda Foley expressed appreciation to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Richard Barnes, head of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, for their efforts in helping to bring about the settlement.
"I know all our members join me in thanking both Sen. Murray and Richard Barnes of the FMCS, who put in long hours, from the very start of negotiations, enabling us to reach this agreement," Foley said.
Murray facilitated the negotiations, bringing the parties together in her Washington, D.C., office, where Barnes joined in the marathon session, continuing his role as mediator during the talks.
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