UNCLE RUSS WANTS YOU, to impeach me!

Sources informed me today that SVP of Operations and Home Delivery, Russ Newton is now attempting to "ENLIST" pressroom employees to remove me from my office as Local 140-N President. Is this a rumor? No, my source isn't management so it's definitely true.Why would Russ seek my removal from office other than to get rid of our Union as well.

Now why would he want to get rid of our Union?
Can you imagine how great he would look to whomever takes control of the L.A. Times when he tells them "I got rid of the Teamsters, now "I" can do whatever you want!"

He and his anti-union Pressroom cohorts, continue to fail in their efforts to expel our Union from the Times because I believe the remaining fulltime pressmen and presswomen know that these individuals are only on managements side simply to enhance their own position through perks from management for their willing participation against all of you Union members. We all know its true, these people have no shame or self respect and they have already proven to me and many others that they will bend over and lie for the company regardless of how it effects all of you in the shop. Pariahs are what I would view them as, hard working men and women such as yourselves call them more colorful names that we have all heard before.

Now ask yourself, what would Russ really do if I, and the Union were gone? 

Would you receive the same wages?
 Doubt it! You wouldn't even have the opportunity to discuss your worth!

Would you receive the same benefits?
Probably not due to a new Corporate America trend that is resulting from the implementation of Obamacare where employers are demoting employees from fulltime to part-time with less than 30 hours a week to avoid paying health benefits. Don't worry, I'm not giving them any  ideas they are already planning to do if Russ succeeds.

Believe me, the Union is the only protection we have from this company, its managers and the supervisors that do their bidding regardless of the fact that they too were once one of us! I know they fear for their jobs too but I cannot believe no one, even them, has the courage to say how they truly feel about how they are forced to treat all of you because of retribution from Russ!

I am not the one that needs to go, IT IS YOU RUSS, I HOPE CHICAGO HAS BEEN KEEPING SCORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE COST THEM MORE MONEY THAN I HAVE FIGHTING FOR THE EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF AGAINST THEM. THE MONEY YOU HAVE WASTED FIGHTING US COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO INCREASE WAGES AND BENEFITS, IMPROVE SAFETY, AND IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE SHOP. INSTEAD YOU CHOSE TO MAKE THE LAWYERS RICHER  BY THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OR MORE JUST TO AVOID LOOKING WEAK AND NOT IN CHARGE, YOUR ACTIONS ARE THOSE OF A TYRANT AND YOU NEED TO GO, OR BE STOPPED! 

NEITHER I, NOR THIS UNION ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE ACTIONS RESULTING FROM YOUR DECISIONS, THE UNION IS NOT TO BLAME FOR ALL OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE PERSONALLY CHOSE TO DO TO PRESSROOM EMPLOYEES OUT OF SHEER SPITE AND NO OTHER PLAUSIBLE REASON!  

DO FOR THE EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF AGAINST THEM AND NEITHER I, NOR THIS UNION OF EMPLOYEES, WOULD EVEN BE NEEDED. 

GREED IS WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY! I REMEMBER YOU ALWAYS CLAIMING YOU DON'T RECEIVE BONUSES, MORE LIES! LIES TO THE TUNE OF OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR $229,000.00 TO BE EXACT! THAT WAS IN ONE YEAR ALONE WHILE PRESSROOM EMPLOYEES WERE BEING LAID OFF WITHOUT SEVERANCE, HOW MUCH MORE HAVE YOU RECEIVED SINCE? CARE TO REVEAL THOSE FIGURES? YOU GET MORE FOR DOING LESS AND WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT LESS BECAUSE YOU THINK WE DESERVE LESS! WHAT MAKES YOU MORE VALUABLE THAN THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ACTUALLY PRINT THE NEWSPAPER? LAYOFF HUNDREDS OF SKILLED LABORERS AND LINE YOUR OWN POCKET WITH THE SAVINGS! WITHOUT US, EVERYONE'S WORK AT THE TIMES IS FOR NAUGHT, INCLUDING YOURS, IF NOT ESPECIALLY YOURS! 

We, the Union, and I personally, have sought to have an amicable relationship with you for the benefit of the members but your continued actions that intentionally hurt our members and their families prevent that from happening. You claim you are just doing your job, but I truly believe you get pleasure from causing pain and sorrow; to me, that is just plain sick!

 I'll leave when the members decide its time for me to leave, NOT YOU!

Footnote:  For the record, this site is intended for Bargaining Unit members of the Los Angeles Times Pressroom. I choose for the site to remain public,while it is understood and I am aware that L.A. Times management in Los Angeles and Tribune legal counsel in Chicago visit MY site regularly for the sole purpose of gathering information to use against us. I stipulate, that this is "MY" site because this site is paid for solely by me, and is not funded by the union or Local 140-N.

The New York Times' Decision To Sell The Boston Globe: A Pressman's Perspective

News of the New York Times’ decision to sell the Boston Globe has stirred considerable angst among Globe employees.  While this is completely understandable, if there is one thing we have learned in this business it is that the only constant is change.  After all, when the New York Times made the decision to close the Globe’s satellite production facility in 2008, resulting in the loss of over 60 Pressmen we soldiered on.  And then, when the New York Times extracted millions of dollars in savings under the threat of closing the Globe, we survived.  Others in our great union have not been so lucky.

Declining circulation and advertising have taken its toll on our industry.  A proud industry that has investigated, informed, entertained and enlightened the public for years.  The newspaper was a legacy business that has provided a fine standard of living for generations of our families.  For those us of us that produce newspapers it has been a challenging era, and it certainly doesn’t appear to be getting any easier.  As I originally posted in July of 2011, the constriction in our craft has been nothing short of catastrophic.  The trade journal Newspaper and Technology maintains a stunning info graphic tracking these changes across the country. 

While it is understandable that newsrooms are the focus of attention when the public discusses newspaper cuts, keep in mind that there are thousands of pressmen and other craft unionists who have lost their trade.  A trade most of them studied and honed for 20, 30, or even 40 years.  Working weekends, holidays, and blizzards to manufacture a product that does not exist at 10 PM and get it on thousands of door steps by 6 AM.   We are the unseen faces of the newspaper, and for the most part, we like it that way.

In my sixteen years’ experience as the President of this proud local, I have had the privilege of representing some of the finest people I have ever known. I have found it incredibly painful to sit at the bargaining table and negotiate the elimination of, not simply a job, but a way of life for these fine craftsmen in their 30s, 40s and 50’s.  For most of them, this is the only work they have done for their entire working lives and 99% of them will never do it again.  Men and women from the Boston Herald, Boston Globe, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Lynn Item, Salem News, Brockton Enterprise, Patriot Ledger, Woonsocket Call, Fall River Herald News, and more.

Despite the trouble and uncertainty, under the leadership of Publisher Chris Mayer, the Globe has been actively seeking and acquiring additional products for us to produce on our presses (Mayer assured employees at a meeting this morning that these efforts would continue).  The same can be said for the Providence Journal where our members also print numerous publications.  These products have saved jobs and provided millions of dollars to each paper’s bottom line.   

It is clear that the only constant for us is change.  Changes that have devastated so many newspaper employees across the country and change that, for the most part, is out of our control.  For those of us that remain, as Pressmen, the most important thing we can do for ourselves is do what we do best; produce multiple, high quality, timely products.     

*I began my newspaper career as a Plateboy, Paperhandler, and Pressman at the Boston Globe in 1978.

New Contract Highlights/Lowlights

1. $1000.00 signing bonus
2. 18 weeks of severance equaling approximately $20,000.00 per employee
3. Retained 5th week of Vacation for eligible presspersons
4. Maintained a 35 hour workweek, not 40 hours for same rate of pay.
5. Union Shop language, Become a member or become terminated, No more Freeriders
6. Dues to be deducted bi-weekly instead of monthly
7. Six Month Disability Job Protection, includes 12 weeks under FMLA without threat of job loss
8. "Me Too" Sick day conversion for up to 20 disability days of sick pay.
9. Improved Arbitration Language to expedite our Grievances.
10. Sick days will be paid the equivalent of 7 hours pay regardless of shift for a total of 35 hours per year.
11. Union Leave of absence for Union Officers to conduct union business
12. We now split arbitration costs instead of loser pays.
13.  Transparent vacation pick process.  

These are the changes that I consider improvements on behalf of the membership during these negotiations.

The lowlights are obvious and listed below.

1. Continued Wage freeze. Flipside, No wage concessions!
2. 8 Part-time employees. Flipside, hired from only our rank and file!
3. If Severance is accepted, Recall is waived

Compared to contracts negotiated in recent months at newspapers across the country, This current contract and the new language contained within can be considered damn good these days, whether you care to believe it or not.  Thank you Brothers Denson and Brierley for your hard and under appreciated work in negotiating these contract improvements. Thanks also to GCC/IBT International Representative Mike Huggins for your guidance and leadership at the table under very difficult bargaining circumstances. Thank you to all of the members who truly understand the situation for what it is and for your continued support. The Union gave you a voice, use it wisely and effectively, not against those that stand up for, and beside you.

You can please some of the people some of the time, but in the pressroom, you will never please all of the people at any given time. We are doing the very best we can considering we're fighting the company with one hand tied behind our back, while the other is consistently seeking the back of a fellow employee to plunge a knife into. You know who you are, sitting in our meetings like Judas at the last supper. Sad but true. Apparently some things will never change, for everyone's sake, I hope it does before this agreement expires. If you haven't read it yet, do so.

In Solidarity?

Fraternally,

Ronnie Pineda,

President,

GCC/IBT Local 140-N

Newspaper Printing Consolidation Continues

With news that the Chicago Tribune has agreed to print the Chicago Sun-Times and seven of its suburban daily newspapers, it appears that the consolidation of printing within our industry will continue. The Chicago Tribune reports that when the Chicago Sun-Times plant closes its doors this fall, more than 400 union workers, from pressmen to drivers, will be out of work.

For a stunning look at up-to-date plant consolidations/closings click here.

As we are beginning to see in other cities, this news also signals an increased cooperation between once perceived rivals. The Chicago Tribune quoted Sun-Times Media Chairman Jeremy Halbreich as saying; "As the circulation has fallen, it just makes sense to do this...It reflects our economic reality," he said. "I am going to do anything that's necessary to continue to publish these newspapers, to keep our newspapers in business, and this clearly allows us to do that."

With the addition of eight Sun-Times products, the Tribune’s facility will print 15 different products a day including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Investor's Business Daily.

The Tribune reported that Becky Brubaker, senior vice president of manufacturing and distribution for Chicago Tribune Media Group, said the additional work should put the plant near capacity and will require additional staffing to meet production demands. "We look forward to employees from there applying for positions here," she said.

It should be noted that the Sun-Times plant is unionized and the Tribune facility employs mostly non-union workers. Pressmen and drivers are represented by Teamsters Local 706 at both the Tribune and Sun-Times plants. Likewise, machinists at both facilities are members of the International Association of Machinists Local 126. However, electricians at the Sun-Times plant are members of IBEW Local 134, but electricians the Tribune are not. Similarly, Sun-Times mailers and operating engineers are represented by the CWA and the IUOE while comparable positions at the Tribune are non-union.

As union officers, plant closings are one the most painful issues we deal with. With the possibility of some union members moving to non-union shops, this situation, as painful as it is, may create an opportunity for these newspaper unions to stem the loss of the closing. Let’s hope so.

Source Material: Chicago Tribune

In Related News: According to a story in Editor & Publisher, The Forward, one of the American Jewish world’s leading most important newspapers has signed a commercial printing agreement with New York Daily News. With the July 22 English-language edition and the July 15-21 Yiddish-language edition, the Forward will begin producing its entire national press run on Daily News presses in Jersey City, New Jersey. The Daily News is a union shop represented by GCC/IBT Local 2N.

Terminations and Recalls

The Union was notified on April 13, 2010 that letters were mailed to employees notifying them of changes to their employment status. James Abel, Jimmy Coates, Richard Gonzales and Roger Dolan were informed that they were causing a hardship on the company due to their absence and that they needed to be replaced. (What about the hardships this company is going to cause these men and their families?)

The company informs them that when they are fit for duty , they will be placed in a company job search which is a farce simply because not a single person placed in this program ever get a job elsewhere and all are terminated when the month expires. This is how they avoid being sued for firing people while they are disabled! You do not get paid while in this smoke screen job search either.

Recently laid off employees Paula Henley, Jack Strickler, Leona Autor and Wayne Padleford received letters informing them of their recall to work. Keith Hutchins and Albaro Albanes received "conditional" recall letters in the event that any of the four recalled cannot comply with their recall notice at this time.

Obviously we are having our Attorney review the situation to insure that none of our members rights are being violated and that no laws are being broken by the company's actions.

Congratulations to those returning to work. I only wish you were returning to an environment that welcomed you back for your talent and not only because they are kicking others out the back door while you enter the front.

STAND UP!

Newsletter Launch with April Issue

With the launch of this Newsletter, members will have another form of receiving information. Members currently visit this and Ed Padgett's site for information as well as view posted information in the bulletin boards and receive recorded telemessaging information from Executive Vice President Keith Denson.

The newsletter will be produced once a month. All other Local Union matters will be provided to the members as events occur through the regular methods described above. Questions and suggestions for the newsletter can be sent to admin@saveourtrade.com

Newsletter April

Severance Negotiations Conclusion

Severance Negotiations Conclusion

Severance Negotiations Update

After four meetings with the company, there are no agreements for severance. I really can't go into detail here on the blog because management reads this blog more than the employees.

I will say that we are following the members instructions on how to proceed.

Meetings are scheduled to continue on February 25th and 26th.

We have close to a dozen pending grievances with approximately 6 of them ready to go to arbitration. Our Attorney, Adam Stern and the Company Attorney have begun the selection process from a list of arbitrators provided by the Federal Mediation Service after the company rejected a list of 7 arbitrators they requested we send them.
This could have been completed at our last meeting in a matter of minutes, and have selected an arbitrator, but the company is chosing a process that is only meant to cause delay.

The company feels they will prevail in these grievances and so do we; and that is why we have made the company fully aware of the fact that the membership, (including many of the departing 39) are willing to go to arbitration if their brothers and sisters being laid off aren't recognized equally to others being laid off. Solidarity is the key, and I'm am glad to see that managements actions are uniting our shops at an increasing rate.

In Solidarity,
Ronnie Pineda
President,
GCC/IBT Local140N

(Artwork by TheeArtist, Ronnie Pineda, Titled:"The Grind"  Click to enlarge

Tribune Co. seeks approval for modified bonus plan

Chicago Tribune parent reports better results
By Michael Oneal

Tribune staff reporter
5:39 PM CST, January 20, 2010

Tribune Co. on Wednesday said it had generated a much better-than-expected $500 million in cash flow during 2009 and sought to make it easier for a bankruptcy judge to bless $45.6 million in bonuses tied to the results for 720 managers at the company.

In July, Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune, petitioned the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware for permission to pay from $21.5 to around $67 million in bonuses through three separate performance-based plans.

The biggest was a continuation of Tribune Co.'s normal incentive bonus plan for both top and middle managers. The other two would reward a group of around 20 top managers for either navigating the bankruptcy process or "transforming" their business units.

A group of company unions objected to the request at a September court hearing, calling the bonuses top-heavy and too easy to earn. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey has yet to rule as he prepares a formal opinion on the matter. Tribune Co. had originally requested that Carey rule on all three plans together. But on Wednesday, the company said it would be willing to have the court "bifurcate" its ruling so that the larger group of more than 700 managers could be rewarded in February for their 2009 performance.

Any payout would be based on how much cash flow the company generated relative to plan in 2009. The maximum payout would require a result 200 percent more than originally predicted.

In a separate note to employees Wednesday, Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels said that the company generated almost $500 million in cash flow during the year "thanks to a stronger than expected performance by both the Broadcasting and Publishing Groups in the fourth quarter." The results owe much to cost cutting efforts but Michaels noted that lower newsprint costs and a slightly better economy helped.

A spokesman said that level of cash flow exceeded the 200 percent threshold, meaning bonuses for the group of 720 would come in at a maximum of $45.6 million if approved. If the judge also approved the other two plans, they would pay out around $21 million to a much smaller group.
Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune
======================================================================================
How about asking the Judge if some of this money can be used to provide severance for the soon to be laid-off 39 pressroom employees? They've made so many sacrifices for this newspaper, working nights, weekends and holidays away from their families for decades: while the bonus recipients celebrated with their children and relatives. 

The Company's unwillingness to pay severance is not an economic matter:  as a matter of fact, it has nothing to do with money: it is PERVERTED POWER and OBVIOUS PUNISHMENT for Organizing our shops.

Ask management why they feel these individuals don't deserve to be treated as fairly as the other production departments. The Union submitted a separation package proposal that many, if not all of you would agree to be fair and more than deserving. The Company apparently has the money to fund our proposal without having to give anything in return, hell, they've already taken everything  and never given anything in return, why should we continue to suffer and management rewarded? SPEAK OUT AGAINST THIS TO MANAGEMENT, DEMAND EQUALITY AND FAIRNESS!

STOP THE PUNISHMENT, PAY THE SEVERANCE!

Apology to Members

I deeply apologize to the members that were offended or upset by my comments that were directed towards(mis)-management. I became very, very angry after months of being lied to while attempting to obtain answers on the members behalf regarding the closing of O.C.

I realize O.C. was rumored to close for some time now, and it eventually would be, but when we ask questions that you want answered, don't you expect to receive an honest answer? So do I! I wasn't upset so much that they were lying to Keith's and my faces, but that ALL of you were being lied to once again.

I DETEST liars and that is the reason I had to say what I said. I have absolutely no regrets for what I said because that is how I honestly feel. I spoke the truth many of you would echo if you could do so without repercussion. It is those of you that I represented in my comments.

I want everyone to know that those words were from Ronnie the Pressman, not Ronnie the President. I have always conducted myself in a professional manner when addressing the company on behalf of the membership from the very beginning, management has shown no interest in reciprocating by lying blatantly to its employees.

This behavior should not be easily dismissed and a demand for honesty should be imposed upon management by each and every employee. Just because you know they lie doesn't mean its O.K. DEMAND TRUTH and HONESTY from the Company and require them to also treat their employees in a professional and ethical manner. In other words, STOP LYING!

I assure the members that I will show the restraint necessary to represent the membership in a professional manner and give my word that I will refrain from unleashing my inner thoughts upon management again in the future.................if there is one!

O.C. Facility Restructuring

Our Local was notified on Wednesday afternoon (via e-mail) that the company intends to implement restructuring changes to the Orange County Facility Operation. The SVP of Operations has made an offer to meet for the purposes of discussing their restructuring plan and it's effect on Orange County and Los Angeles Bargaining Unit Employees.

What exactly is to be done is unknown at this time, we will ask management all the pertinent questions necessary to answer all of the employees questions that will certainly arise from this announcement.

The only information we do have at this time is that the restructuring of O.C. will result in the mandatory transfer of approximately 30 to 40 presspersons from O.C. to L.A. on or about October 17th.

This "plan" may have something to do with the O.C. Register and anything said at this point in time is speculation, unless mgt. honestly discloses that information prior to meeting with the Union. I personally asked the H.R. Representative and the L.A. pressroom Superintendent last week about the possibility of the Register moving into our O.C. shop, to which both denied any knowledge of such an arrangement.

Further details will be provided when they are obtained from management during the offered meeting we intend to accept.

Ronnie Pineda
President,
GCC/IBT Local 140-N

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

Publish at Scribd or explore others: gcc/ibt l.a. times

Beck Laws2

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Religion & Spiritual Other healing attraction

Re-post from TELLZELL.com

(Originally posted on tellzell.com less than 6 months ago)
An echo to Steve Grant's Testimony
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Touching a Nerve

All right, the Retch knows he's way late on this, but the Dan Neil et al. lawsuit seems to have touched a nerve. Who knew that Sam Zell -- more likely the thin-skinned Randy Michaels -- cared so much? First, check out the language of the email that Zell sent out to let employees know about the lawsuit:

There is a difference between questioning authority or challenging the "business as usual attitude," and maligning the company in public. That's just bad judgment and does no one any good. It's a distraction that's unnecessary.We are partners. We need to act like it. Sam, the time for "acting" like partners ended when you cursed at us; when you denigrated us; when you told us we were overhead; when you fired reporters; when you cut back newshole; when you deprived our readers of information about their lives to make the payments on your over-leveraged debt.

Partner, in case your dictionary knowledge is as lacking as your lackey's grammatical knowledge, is a word which implies equality. But you have never acted as an equal. We have no power. We have no say. We have never been consulted in a single action that you or any of your cronies have taken in dismantling the Tribune Co. So stop fucking call me your partner. It's patronizing. It's demeaning. And it's wrong.

Then there's the language of the actual press release. The lawsuit is filled with "frivolous and unfounded allegations." Yet Zell mentions not a one. And then he declares himself "outraged."I don't honestly know where this lawsuit will lead. And I fear that, like most lawsuits, it will be two, three, four years before we find out, by which time Sam will have looted the pension, driven off or fired the best workers and turned the Tribune Company into a television network featuring Bozo 90210 and a few newsletter-sized newspapers.

But I do know who should be outraged. And I know it's not Sam Zell.The attorneys response to Zell, in a similar vein, follows in his email to Tribune employees earlier today, Sam Zell dismissed the allegations against him and his co-fiduciaries as “frivolous and unnecessary.”
“We are partners,” the email continued, “we need to act like it.”This statement is a standard Zell response: lacking in specifics and filled with vitriol. The complaint is detailed and the allegations are correct. The complaint asserts that the Tribune ESOP has not provided the rank and file employees with a detailed justification for the Zell acquisition. Ask Sam: where’s the detailed justification? The Tribune pension administrators have not provided the retired Tribune employees with an explanation as to why the pension plan was supposedly over funded by $400 million. This explanation is particularly necessary given the current downturn in the stock market. Ask Sam: where’s the explanation?

The directors have established a conflict of interest policy for related party transactions. Ask Sam: explain how the conflict of interest policy has been followed with HIS relatives?The current and former Tribune employees are not “all in this together” with Sam Zell. The rank and file employees have their jobs and their current and future retirement plans tied up by the machinations of Zell and his co-fiduciaries. Their salaries are low and they see many of their colleagues being let go on a monthly basis. On the other hand, Sam Zell has billions of dollars and does not have his livelihood at stake. For example, Zell’s upcoming birthday party will feature The Eagles. Ask Sam: how many of his “partners” are spending their birthdays in a similar fashion?

Speaking of “maligning the company in public,” we ask that journalists covering this story consider Sam Zell’s prior comments denigrating print journalism. Imagine if the Chairman of Procter & Gamble stated: “I don’t use Ivory Soap. I hate Ivory Soap.” Despite it all, these newspapers are continuing to produce great journalism.Zell’s comments fail to acknowledge the billions of dollars in debt he caused the Tribune Company to incur, necessitating both the layoffs and the diminishing content of the Company’s newspapers. It is unfortunate that, in typical fashion, Sam Zell is ignoring the rights and neglecting the best interests of the hard-working Tribune employees, whom he cynically refers to as “partners.” Rather than working with his “partners,” he is tearing the company down, brick by brick, and selling it off, in an effort to pay down the massive debt he improperly encumbered the company with.

We look forward to cutting through Zell’s self-serving, out of touch rhetoric and fighting for our clients – the Tribune’s real and rightful owners – in court.In these turbulent times, fiduciaries must act in the best interests of their employees, particularly when they are the “owners” of the company. Zell and his co-fiduciaries have utterly failed to do so as more specifically described in the complaint.
"Partners don’t treat partners like Zell treats the Tribune employees".
(end of post)

Where have you gone inkstained wretch? Your wisdom is greatly missed by all!

Union Rally Monday February 23, 2009

A press release was sent notifying the media about our Union Rally to be held on Monday February 23, 2009 to expose the anti-union treatment our bargaining unit has been subjected to at the hands of management and supervision since ratification of the collective bargaining agreement on December 8, 2008.

Rally information:
Date: Monday February 23, 2009
Time: 11:00 am
Location: L.A. Times Building Downtown, 1st and Spring

All members not working are expected to attend!

Must know information for Bargaining unit employees:
If scheduled to work, DO NOT miss work to participate.
No signs, we're not picketing.
No work slowdowns in support of Rally.
No work stoppage in support of Rally.

Ronnie Pineda
President, GCC/IBT Local 140-N

The Hatchet Will Swing 63 Times

Todays news was far worse than expected when we learned that 63 pressroom jobs are being eliminated from our shops in accordance with management's cost reduction plan. In less than a year, that amounts to just under 100 jobs lost in our pressrooms alone. The total savings for the company from the pressrooms will be close to 4 million dollars a year! Close to 6 million a year when you include the last round of cuts less than a year ago!

Management has no interest in discussing any alternative measures to reduce costs which could save jobs in the pressrooms and bases the cuts on the economy, the overall newspaper industry decline and the restructuring and new design of the future paper.

These cuts will result in the elimination of 10 press crews in one fell swoop. There will be reductions in the roller crew size, reelroom co-ordinator and trainer positions in managements plans as well. According to Russ, these positions at each plant will consist of, 4 roller crew positions, 3 coordinator positions and 2 trainers, again, per plant.

These layoffs are scheduled to take place on March 4, 2009 not March 15 as mentioned in Russ' letter in which he states "no later than March 15th"

Management gave the bargaining committee copies of the pressroom schedules they intend to implement on March 2, 09. and expect to begin picking crews ( on Monday, Feb 9, 09) based on the provided schedule. We did not receive actual crew schedules at this time.(the schedule does contain crew numbers and hours, not pick positions or product) The crew picking process will remain as it has always been conducted and was confirmed by Russ when asked.

We will meet again tomorrow at noon to discuss severance, and what the company intends to fashion for our shops. We again believe that any less than what is given to non-union employees would be unfair.

Revised 2/5/09-revisions in red

Ronnie Pineda

President

GCC/IBT

Local 140-N

GCC/IBT Local 140-N Officers and Stewards

GCC/IBT Local 140-N
Executive Board Members

President
Ronnie Pineda

Executive Vice President
Keith Denson

Secretary Treasurer
Linard Williams

Recording Secretary
Edward Padgett

Vice Presidents

Los Angeles David Rascon Orange County Charles Reney

Executive Board Members

Mike Brierley

Charles Laird

Shop Stewards
1st Shift

An-tony Young

Doug Myers/Appointed

2nd Shift

Timothy Stock

Brian Fins

3rd Shift

Ponciano Eligino

To be appointed

Victor Banuelos on Saveourtrade

I want to welcome Vic and I look forward to his posts. Vic, as I've said before, goes the extra mile for all of us. Vic can now get information directly to our shops via Save Our Trade's blog.

Blog Away Vic!

As Requested!

2008 LAT CBA Just Click on (ipaper) below for printing and download options. You can also view it full screen by clicking the icon on the top right corner of the toolbar. Your final option is to click on the link above to view the document on the Scribd website. Sorry for the delay, the Acrobat.com site was still in maintenance mode as of 1:00 am so I chose this site instead of waiting any longer. Write all of your questions down, there obviously will be a question and answer period after the presentation. The Negotiation Committee and our Representatives asks that you wait until then to present your questions, Thank you.
In Solidarity.

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

Ratification Meeting Information

The Ratification Meeting has been scheduled for Monday, December 8, 2008 at 9:00 am in Room Salon 1 at the Crown Plaza Commerce Casino Hotel located in the City of Commerce. (interactive map).

Parking is free in the rear of the hotel by taking Tubeway Ave. on the west side of the hotel/casino.

I am diligently working on getting copies for review in advance of the meeting and hope to have an on-line version available here for download.

You must attend to vote.

Why Don't They Tell Us This Stuff?

Sam Zell's Tribune Company may start distributing The Wall Street Journal in metro areas, because it's not already enough of a giant clusterfuck over in the newspaper industry now that we need Rupert Murdoch's Journal being thrown at your door by the same guys who bring you theLA Times.
And what is Zell doing taking on this deal, which is still in "trial runs" with the local teamsters running the trucks? Didn't we just hear about how the man can't even afford his own baseball team, and now he's getting into some weird MGM/Weinstein-esque arrangement with another media baron?

Murdoch has said he plans on shutting down 10 of the 17 plants that print the Journal, and "outsource that printing to other newspapers — both the printing and the delivery." Which is a huge, but probably necessary cut, because as much as you can make fun of Murdoch for being crazy and Australian, the man knows how to run a business. Zell? Not so much.

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