Who's Next?

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

Has any one noticed how the company has allowed division to be prevalent from one plant to the other, a divide and conquer system for many years? We have two plants with two totally different management styles. We all know it and it has worked to some degree. How do we feel that our friends for many years are being laid off with nothing? I bet a lot of you are just glad it was not you. But, can someone please tell me what's so good about this place since the Tribune and now Zell have taken over the paper? You guys who are still on the fence, were you one of the companies special pressmen that they wanted to protect in negotiations? We know we have lost a lot of good people over the last two layoffs. As good as some were, this paper has yet to miss a delivery when they or your good ass was gone, vacation, sick, or whatever. Most of us grew up in the 60's and 70's, where brothers helping brothers. We all pulled together to get the job done. We are still our brothers keeper...I still think so. Right now, this country has lost it way. We no longer think as we, but, me. Really, can you honestly tell me or anyone what this

new regime has brought to you. We have newspapers failing all around us but, we could not pickup one or two products. Maybe if they concentrated more on that verse eliminating jobs or fighting to get the union out, they could. You sit comfey because of your seniority number and don't want to get involved but, we are all involved...up to our neck. That security you are afforded by this contact, as weak as it is one reason why. This regime has taken us for granted. All the many years of sacrifices we have all made, missing, holidays, kids games, family get togethers, and sickness. Some people think we are paid too much but, they are not here on those missed days with our families. And yes, we have been paid well but, so have they. The current situation at this company was not brought on by the union. We just wanted the slashing to stop to get some type of security. We are fighting the corporate greedy giants all over this great country. This company has been poorly managed over the years. All that money spent on road shows, private meetings with supervision all to stop us from having a right given to all in this America. That my friends was not even needed if in fact the company was treating us so well.

Yes, some people are thinking of their own gain. But, how does that effect you and me? I put in an honest days work for a customer who I can neither see nor talk to and this does afford my family the necessities of life. Don't lose your integrity. We all need to pull together. This union is here now, and I hope to stay for at least two and a half years hopefully more. Let's all make the best out of this situation, you might like it down the road. United we stand divided we will fall. Recognize who is on your side...your fellow workers as neighbors are. The tactics this company has used, have misfired thus far but they have devastated a once grand paper and our friends lives. Who's next? We must stand together and support our brothers and sisters as ourselves.

Be at the Rally!!! March 30, 2009 at 11:30am. I will!


Your Brother in solidarity
Keith Denson

Monday Rally

Union Rally
Monday March 30, 2009
11:30 am
1st & Spring St. Downtown L.A.

We said we’d be back and we will be due to the company’s decision to lay off 63 long term pressroom employees without a severance package for organizing with the Graphic Communications/International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Support your former colleagues and your Union to insure this won’t happen again when they come knocking on the pressroom doors for more money and more jobs are lost.

Agency Fee Payer Information

The following documents were mailed to everyones home to provide information regarding non-member dues and the process to become a "financial core member" The letter explains the member advantages that are forfeited when full membership is not desired by the employee.

The dollar amount of monthly dues for an "Agency Fee Payer" member is $48.04. The formula is based on $60.00 per month that a full member pays which includes the International per capita at the chargeable amount rate of 80.06%. This amount is deductable through "dues check-off" by completing and submitting a dues check off authorization form.

Dues may also be mailed to Secretary Treasurer, Linard Williams using the following information:

Secretary Treasurer
Linard Williams
24009 Pasala Ct
Valencia, Ca. 91355

Dues deducted from members currently facing layoff on April 6th will be refunded after that time.
LATimesduesletterFeb 8

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Union Update

March E-Board Meeting

The e-Board met last week to discuss myriad of topics concerning our shops, grievances filed with the company and board charges filed with the N.L.R.B. as well as our new Local's Constitution and By-Laws. The Board was in favor of having another Rally at the Downtown L.A. Times Headquarters in response to the company's decision to withhold severance for 63 pressroom employees. The company's decision to lay off 63 long time employees without any severance is a blatant act of retaliation for exercising our right to form a Union.

March 30, 2009 Rally

We said we'd be back at the conclusion of the February 23rd Rally and as a result of the company's unwillingness to offer severance to 63 soon to be former pressroom employees. We have multiple Board charges filed with the N.L.R.B. regarding the company's "Bad Faith Bargaining over severance. We hope to have a decision soon.

We will once again meet on the corner of 1st and Spring at 11:30 am on Monday March 30th. If you are one of the 63 employees being sent away without any severance, come and make your voice heard. Our contributions over the decades will not be ignored simply because we fought to prevent these same types of mistreatment from our soon to be former employer.

Board Charges

As I state there are multiple board charges relative to the severance negotiations as well as charges against the changes that were immediately imposed after ratification of the contract.
I will upload the actual documents detailing the current charges that were filed on behalf of our shops and members.

Grievances

Most of the grievances filed with the company have emanated from our L.A. Shop and Executive Vice President, Keith Denson has presented them in the 1st and 2nd steps. Keith has requested information from the company to prepare our grievances to which the company has been extremely illusive in fulfilling our requests for info. We have a right to the information we request or the company is in violation of our rights. A board charge will be filed regarding this matter should we continue to have our requests for information denied. I also filed grievances which pertain to Hours and Overtime. Specifically, there are no 6 &1/2 nor 8 hour shifts anywhere in the contract yet the schedules do. The contract describes a shift as 7 hours (eg. 35 hours a week). The other grievance I filed pertains to 6th day overtime. In negotiations, it was stated that ONLY if you call in sick would you be ineligible for overtime pay on the sixth day worked.

De-Authorization Drive

Once again, certain individuals are soliciting signatures to de-authorize the union security and dues checkoff language of the contract. These individuals have obtained the signatures in violation of the law. Supervision was notified on several occassions that these individuals were approaching bargaining unit employees during work hours, on the floor, during the runs. There have been numerous accounts from members in which complaints of being exposed to potential safety hazards when signatures were being sought from them while performing work on the press equiptment.

The consequences of de-authorization would cripple the union's ability to defend its members. The company is very aware of this fact and would love nothing more than for this to occur. It would allow them to trample all over the remaining employees and the union would be financially unable to retain legal counsel. The Local would also be financially effected and unable to operate effectively enough to serve the membership. This is to the benefit of the company and not the employees. Don't support this campaign against the union.

Constitution & By Laws Meeting

Members of Local 140-N are requested to attend this meeting to review and adopt our constitution and by-laws that were approved by the constitution and by-laws commitee. The Committee was chaired by Exec. Vice President Keith Denson and the committee members are Mark Austin, Denise Kolm, Dan Beruman, Ed Padgett and Gary Bunch.

The meeting will be held on Saturday March 28, 2009 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Commerce Casino at 2:30 pm. This meeting is restricted to members that submitted a fully completed Teamster Membership Application and Dues Check off Authorization.

Los Angeles Times Pressmens 20 Year Club: Los Angeles Times Pressman An-Tony Young Interview

Los Angeles Times Pressmens 20 Year Club: Los Angeles Times Pressman An-Tony Young Interview#links:

"Soon to be a former Los Angeles Times pressman, An-Tony Young, was interviewed on Pacifica Radio KPFK, 90.7 FM earlier tonight in what proved to be a most interesting story regarding the labor conflict within the newspaper and the employees that are now represented by GCC/Teamsters."

1967 Union Rally at The Times

WALKING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.

"The Los Angeles Times Has Labor Problems In Their Pressrooms"

read the signs worn by former pressmen.

Photo courtesy of the Late William (Bill) Torrance
(Center of Photo, being interviewed)

Archives given to our Local contained this photo along with a treasure trove of documents from the 1960's and the history between the company and the pressroom employees

Union Activity from that era.

This photo is a testament to the company's decades old and antiquated position of union busting, and the employees quest for fairness and equality.

I hope to have all these documents reviewed by the Teamsters Historical Department for proper preservation.