The Search for a New Business Model | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)

The Search for a New Business Model | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)

THIS IS THE REPORT BROTHER NICOSIA AND BROTHER CALAGHAN WANTED OUR MEMBERS TO BE AWARE OF. VERY INTERESTING READING THAT PROVIDES A REAL LOOK AT WHERE THE ADVERTISING MONEY IS, AND WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
THANKS BROTHERS!

June 16th & 17 Negotiations Update

As expected, the company representatives immediately expressed their concern over our decision to communicate with our advertisers. The exchange did get pretty heated with both sides defending their positions. They are aware of our rights under the NLRA and also realize we were within our rights in doing so.

Naturally we expected some criticism for this decision, but those who support our effort to negotiate a fair collective bargaining agreement understood that there is only one way to get management's attention, and that is financially.
It works on all of us, hit our wallet and they've got our attention too!

Money was the only thing Tribune valued, not the name "Los Angeles Times" nor the newspaper it proudly sits on the masthead of, or it's employees for that matter; not to mention the city and surrounding counties it serves. Zell is no different. Zell wants to make money, not lose money, so whether you agreed or disagreed with contacting the advertisers, we believe we received the response we were hoping for at the table. We did not ask any advertiser to cancel their ads, but those advertisers that did contact the Times obviously raised the concerns of Management.

None of us honestly wants to hurt the company and actually want to help build circulation and advertising within the labor community which we will when we negotiate a contract that a majority of you will ratify. As Marty stated in his letter to all of you, there are tens of thousands of union workers in and around Los Angeles and we can appeal to them for their support. They will respond, I guarantee!

We introduced language to get the negotiations on track and create a productive platform for negotiations which management agreed to the concept and counter proposed a condensed version with the same underlying objectives. We will review their counter proposal also to insure that it's language is unambiguous and is mutually understood before we tentatively agree to it.

The overall tone of this round of negotiations, albeit, started very confrontational, with our representative Sonny Shannon accusing the company of bargaining from a position of power, rather than from one of mutual interest, leveled off and we finally felt we were able to actually negotiate with the company.

We did discuss parking, lockers, security cameras and no-strike, no lock-out language and there is a good possibility we can get agreements on these what appear to be simple issues when we resume negotiations in July. The fact is there are no simple issues when it comes to putting language into a contract.

In solidarity!

52nd Annual North American Newspaper Conference

I had the privilege of attending the 52nd Annual NANC this past week in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is an annual joint conference with delegates from both the GCC and Teamster's Newspaper, Magazine and Electronic Media. Keith Denson and I were honored to attend the 51st NANC last year in Florida and we both admit it was a very educational and eye opening experience.

During the conference Union Delegates from newspapers across the country meet to discuss the state of the newspapers they work for and the activities their Locals are involved in for their members.

Numerous workshops are held to focus on specific areas of union business. I was fortunate to be appointed to the organizing committee in which we discussed the many obstacles we face attempting to win representation and how to overcome those hurdles. Delegates from newspapers owned by Dean Singleton, Gannett, Rupert Murdoch and our very own Sam Zell participated in a very spirited discussion and I was astonished to specifically learn from each delegate that the assault on employees by their owners is more prevalent than ever imagined before.

The Employee Free Choice Act which failed to pass legislation in its maiden attempt due to an employer friendly republican senate would have allowed employees to join a union without having a secret ballot election. Employers have exploited the current election process and utilizes every anti-union, anti-employee tactic at their disposal. The EFCA would allow employees to join by simply signing a membership card. Democratic Presidential hopeful Senator, Barak Obama supports the EFCA and organized labor. Senator Obama has spoken with Teamster General President Jim Hoffa assuring him that he will be a Pro Labor President. The Teamsters support Barak Obama for President and I think we should all vote for him in November.

I was also invited by our GCC/IBT Organizer Marty Keegan to sit in on the newspaper committee with several delegates from Zell owned newspapers as well as the others I mentioned earlier. We all share the same concerns regarding the sale to our newspapers to Sam Zell and the decisions being made that affect all of our futures. The Teamsters have fought the sale of Tribune to Sam Zell from day one understanding that an ESOP without employee representation is nothing more than deceitful. Declining ad revenue, declining circulation and staffing reductions seemed to be the major subjects discussed in this committee.

There was good news regarding the GCC and an increase of 3% in membership after years of membership declines due to plant closures and consolidations. Unions across the nation are winning elections by employees seeking representation to protect their interests in their workplace. All L.A. Times employees need to consider organizing in order to have a voice considering the latest announcement to further reduce staffing at our newspaper. I'll admit, Sam said a lot of things that lead many of us to believe that he was going to do good by all of us and the paper by building it, instead he is dismantling it faster than any of us ever imagined.

I also met with our President George Tedeschi, Teamster Organizer Manny Valenzuela, GCC/IBT Organizer Marty Keegan, International Representatives Sonny Shannon and Mike Huggins to discuss our negotiations and created a plan to insure that we are given every opportunity to negotiate a fair Collective Bargaining Agreement. Those of you who attended our chapel meeting in Monrovia were made aware of options we and the Teamsters hope to utilize in an effort to raise awareness and support for our pressrooms from the community. These meetings at the conference set the groundwork for building our support base around the country and in the local public sector which is valuable in motivating the company to bargain in good faith.

I would like to thank GCC/IBT President George Tedeschi, Secretary Treasurer Bob Lacey, NANC President/Chairman Joseph Inemer, Director Joe Molinero and especially all of my brothers and sisters in the L.A. Times pressrooms for allowing me the opportunity to represent our shops at the conference, and with great humbleness, allowing me to address the body of conference delegates and deliver a report on our negotiations.

To all the brothers and sisters at the conference, thanks for supporting our shops and negotiations and especially for the wholehearted brotherhood that each and every one of you lives by, I am always inspired by all of you and your sincerity, it is contagious and I hope it spreads to our pressrooms. It was a pleasure to spend time with Lou Nicosia and Mike Laspina from Local 406, Hello to all from both of them. Thanks to President Dennis Grabhorn and everyone at Newsday for your support. Good Luck with your impending change of ownership, I can only hope that we suffer the same fate and some one who gives a damn about this city and it's newspaper gets the chance to buy us before there's nothing left. (Are you listening Geffen?) It was also a pleasure to spend time with, and to learn from the brothers and sisters I had the privilege of meeting at last years conference, and the new ones I met this year.

Negotiations will resume on Monday, June 16Th.

51st Annual North American Newspaper Conference

Los Angeles Pressroom Operator, Keith Denson and I were honored to represent the Men and Women of our Pressroom's at The Los Angeles Times during The 51st Annual North American Newspaper Conference in St.Pete Beach Florida, April 16,17 &18th, 2007.

We had the opportunity to meet many of the men and women who provide services and benefits for GCC/IBT members and look forward to having them come to L.A. and O.C. to share the wealth of information they possess.

Keith and I were humbled when introduced to the Conference and received a "standing ovation" for the organizing victory in our shops. That standing ovation was for each and every one of you who stood diligent in your beliefs and especially for those of you who literally stood up and participated in achieving our victory. You should all be proud of yourselves, because everyone at the Conference made it clear that they are proud of "ALL "of us who work in our Pressrooms.

I expressed our appreciation to GCC/IBT President George Tedeschi for not giving up on us and supporting our latest organizing campaign. I also had to give greater thanks to GCC/IBT Lead Organizer Marty Keegan for convincing President Tedeschi to do just that.

Keith and I spoke of all the Union Busting we have had to endure over the years in trying to organize our shops and the many changes we have endured as a result of trusting a management that shows no compassion for it's workers when it comes to cutting costs.

Keith and I were stunned by the show of solidarity and generosity displayed by all the Teamsters in attendance. Financial Aid was raised for many fellow Teamsters who have faced adversed conditions including terminations at the hands of their respective employers for organizing or supporting union representation.

We think we have been treated unfairly during past election campaigns but I was witness to stories of severe treatment toward individuals for attempting to organize their shops, but more importantly what The Teamsters are doing to help them. Compassion for fellow workers in our Trade is a "Value" that I saw in every person I had the pleasure of meeting at the Conference.

I will begin posting information from some of the speakers at this conference in seperate posts to create topic specific posts detailing each of their roles with The Teamsters and their areas of expertise, as well as the service they perform for both The Teamsters and their members.

I created two new links here on the blog and invite you to click on them to get a clear picture of what goes on in our industry (both good and bad) and how we can stand together to improve working conditions for everyone. These are only two examples of why the working class need representation and a "Collective Bargaining Agreement"

The eight writers who were fired by Wendy McCaw in Santa Barbara for standing up to her for compromising the integrity of their paper( The Santa Barbara News Press) by becoming too involved in content and eventually union activism have created their own local news website(santabarbaranewsroom.com) and are supported by their community by and large as well as by The GCC/IBT, so I encourage you to visit.

In Toledo, OH more than 200 full -time and part-time employees of "The Blade" entered their 8th month of being "ILLEGALLY" locked-out of their jobs in April. Visit their site (stoptheblade.com)and help if you can.

I attended an Organizing Seminar on April 14th at The UCLA Labor Center in Los Angeles and will also post information from that experience.

If you haven't sent in your survey yet, do so soon.

Unity and Solidarity will accomplish anything you can't accomplish alone!

In solidarity,

Ronnie