Guild Seeks Arbitration in Getty Case
To Seek Restoration of Outsourced Functions

The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild has filed for arbitration this week in its grievance over the implementation of the AFP agreement with Getty Images.

AFP denied the grievance filed last month, and the Guild is pursuing its claim under the arbitration formula outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.

The Guild maintains that AFP is attempting to “contract out” functions that have long been done by AFP Guild-covered employees, which is not permitted under the Guild agreement.

WBNG had asked that AFP freeze implementation of some of the arrangements in the Getty deal, to avoid dismantling some AFP functions in Washington. AFP has refused this. However, if the Guild prevails in its arbitration, these functions would have to be restored to AFP and Guild-covered employees.

Under the planned AFP-Getty hookup, many key functions of the North American photo department would be turned over to Getty. Additionally, the AFP marketing department loses the ability to sell the photo service to US media clients. Finally, some AFP photographers whose longstanding coverage areas include sports and entertainment would see these functions handed over to an outside party.

All these moves to contract out violate the Guild agreement, which states that AFP employees, Guild-covered, should carry out these functions.

WBNG represents more than 60 locally hired AFP employees in the United States.