Guild OKs 3-year pact: 10% cut in pay, benefits

The Akron unit of the Newspaper Guild voted today to ratify a three-year agreement with the Beacon Journal, averting a possible strike that would have been detrimental to the newspaper.  The contact amounts to an overall 10 per cent cut in salaries and benefits.

The vote was 45 to 13 for the settlement.  The vote turnout was good considering the dwindling staff numbers and those who were out of town or otherwise  did not have an opportunity to vote.

The agreement is concessionary, but is an improvement from the 25 to 30 percent cut in wages and benefits the newspaper was originally requesting.

``This contract isn't a cause for celebration,'' said Bob DeMay, the union's president and an assistant photo editor at the Beacon Journal. ``We wanted to prevent a strike or the possibility of imposed conditions worse than those we accepted today.''

The vote was divided, indicating the membership's deep concern over a contract with concessions that amount to a 10 percent cut to wages. Members were especially upset because similar sacrifices haven't been asked of newsroom managers or other non-union employees.

``We felt this was the best deal we could get for our members,'' DeMay said. "That doesn't mean we like it."

The agreement includes a 2.11 percent decrease to base pay, a reduction in the work week from 40 to 37.5 hours, and a week of unpaid vacation this year, which together equal a 10 percent cut. There are no raises in the second or third year.

The contract has layoff protection for the next 18 months, with wages and hours snapping back to previous levels if a notice is given. It also includes a $200 signing bonus.

Pensions will be frozen, but the company agreed to increase its 401K match. The union will take on a larger share of health care premiums in the second and third year and will go down to five sick days every two years starting in 2011, with immediate short-term disability offered for serious illnesses at full pay.

The union preserved language on job security, seniority, severance, vacation time for current employees, and most job titles. The two sides agreed to language that gives the company more flexibility in hiring correspondents but restricts their use to 6 percent of the Guild's payroll.

The Guild and company had been negotiating for more than a year, with the union's members operating under the terms of a contract that expired in July 2008.

The union represents about 85 reporters, copy editors, photographers, assistant editors, page designers, artists, sports statisticians, librarians and secretaries -- a number slashed more than 50 percent over the past 10 years through layoffs, buyouts and attrition.

Guild members annually win state and national awards, earning the newspaper respect and recognition. In the Associated Press journalism awards announced this week, Guild members were named as finalists in 13 categories.