The Generosity of a Member -- Cartoonist Herblock Leaves $50,000 Each to WBNG, TNG
Washington Post cartoonist Herblock's will included a $50,000 gift to the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild (WBNG) and a like amount to our parent union, The Newspaper Guild (TNG).

The Generosity of a Guild Unit -- BNA Guild Members Help Raise Funds for D.C. Labor's Social Agency
Concerned about the plight of thousands of Washington area workers impacted by the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, the BNA Guild unit held a bazaar Nov. 14 to help raise funds for the Community Services Agency. Guild members and other BNA employees turned out in force to buy an array of donated gift items, services, and baked goods. More than $1,500 was raised through the noontime bazaar.

American Postal Workers Unit's Perserverance Pays Off
The Local's new Guild unit at the headquarters of the American Postal Workers Union reaches a collective bargaining agreement with APWU management Oct. 5.

NCH Staff Finds a Home for Its Initial Guild Pact
Less than a year after organizing a Guild unit to represent their workplace, Guild members at the National Coalition for the Homeless signed their first contract.

Agence France-Presse Unit Wins One-Year Extension
In a rare example of a media organization and its employees working together during troubled financial times, Guild-covered employees approved a one-year contract extension at Agence France-Presse Dec. 14.

Transitions & Transactions
Read all the news about your local Guild friends and colleagues.

Through the Lens: Washington Post Doings

Herblock Leaves $100,000 to TNG, WBNG

Washington Post cartoonist Herblock's will included a $100,000 gift to The Newspaper Guild-$50,000 to Local 32035 and a like amount to the parent union.

Herbert L. Block, who died Oct. 7 at age 91, joined the American Newspaper in 1934, just a few weeks after its founding by renowned newspaper columnist Heywood Broun.

While making his case for "the creation of an organization of working newspaper people," Broun had visited Cleveland shortly after Herblock moved there in 1933.

"Spurred by Broun, a few local newspeople risked publishing-industry consignment" to newspaper backwaters by forming the Cleveland Editorial Employees Association, Herblock wrote in his 1993 autobiography, "A Cartoonist's Life."

"I heard that they practically met in dark alleys to plan and organize this single-unit organization that later became the first chapter of The Newspaper Guild. I was not one of those pioneering founders, but did join that first unit and am still a member of The Newspaper Guild."

All told, Herblock was a TNG member for more than 60 years, though he may have missed a few dues payments when he joined the Army in 1943. After he completed military service, he met with publisher Eugene Meyer, who brought him to the Post in January 1946. His work appeared in the paper for more than 55 years.

Herblock, who never married, left no survivors. The will signed in February calls for the creation of the Herb Block Foundation-it is to receive his cartoons, sketches, paintings and manuscripts, his Georgetown residence, and most of his investments.

The foundation is to conduct and sponsor "programs to aid the poor, distressed and underprivileged, promote civil rights, fight prejudice and discrmination, advance freedom of expression and improve democratic government."

Herblock started work at the Washington Post in January 1946. The cartoonist shortly thereafter joined the Washington Newspaper Guild, with the "membership transfer card", above, indicating he was a member as of the first of February. A notation in the top left corner of the "membership application", below, shows that Local 35 was "awaiting transfer" of his Cleveland Guild membership. His distinctive signature shows a few more letters than his readers grew accustomed to seeing.

A half-century ago, the American Newspaper Guild selected Herblock for its highest honor, the Heywood Broun Award, the first and only time that the annual award has been presented to a cartoonist.

The judges said Herblock's cartoons "combine graphic skill, a high sense of social values and a mordant wit. They are a jog to complacency, a taunt to hypocrisy, a challenge to meanness."

Herblock was the featured speaker at several Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Front Page Awards ceremonies. The annual awards recognize the best reporting, photography and graphic design produced by employees in WBNG's jurisdiction. At the 1993 Front Page Awards, WBNG paid special tribute to Herblock for his six decades of Guild membership.

The conditions of his will are not surprising.

"Behind the mighty pen of Herblock was a softie," wrote 41-year Guild member Robert Asher in a Post op-ed piece. "The man who put the pompous in their place and the world in unique perspective put his friends above all else."

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Guild Bazaar Benefits D.C. Labor's Social Agency

By Liz Walpole
Bureau of National Affairs Unit

Concerned about the plight of thousands of Washington area workers impacted by the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, the BNA Guild unit held a bazaar Nov. 14 to help raise funds for the Community Services Agency.

Guild members and other BNA employees turned out in force to buy an array of donated gift items, services, and baked goods. More than $1,500 was raised through the noontime bazaar.

Jacqueline Barnes, Program Coordinator at CSA, was on hand to accept the unit's contribution on behalf of the Community Services Agency of the Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO. In the last two months CSA has provided more than $211,000 in financial assistance to out-of-work hotel employees and other workers hard hit by the severe downturn in the local hospitality industry.

Local Guild Treasurer and BNA employee Carol Oberdorfer conceived the idea of a fundraiser.

Members of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 25, at least half of whom are currently on layoff because of low occupancy in area hotels, are getting help through CSA and their union with rent and mortgage payments. Barnes expressed the philosophy of CSA, which was also the motivation behind the BNA Guild bazaar. "It's about workers helping workers," she said.

The idea of a bazaar was conceived by Local Treasurer and BNA employee Carol Oberdorfer.

Carol, along with BNA Unit Chair Reza Namdar, Liz Walpole and Local Representative Paul Reilly coordinated the effort.

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American Postal Workers Unit's Perserverance Pays Off

After many long and often difficult negotiating sessions, the new and now official Guild unit at the headquarters of the American Postal Workers Union reached a collective bargaining agreement with APWU management Oct. 5. Guild unit members were pleased to finally have a settlement, and were particularly happy with the economic aspects of the deal. The 15 workers covered by the pact ratified the two-and-a-half-year deal four days later.

Workers will receive a 9 percent pay hike over the 30 months of the agreement as well as annual $250 base-pay increases pegged to hire-anniversary dates. Because the contract is retroactive to Nov. 21, 2000, several covered employees will receive three anniversary bonuses under this contract.

Employees also will start earning comp time for more than eight hours work in a shift and on weekends. They'll be able to cash out accumulated comp time in December each year.

In another economic gain, a 401(k) plan will be put into effect Jan. 1, with a 1.5 percent employer contribution to the plan each pay period. Other gains were two extra sick days, a grievance and arbitration procedure, Christmas Eve (day) off, and clauses that enforce past practices, formalize seniority rights, provide for "respect and dignity," and provide "just cause" rights.

There also are to be no layoffs during the contract's run, which is from Nov. 21, 2000 to May 20, 2003.

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NCH Staff Finds a Home for Its Initial Guild Pact

Less than a year after the Guild received recognition by management, staff at the National Coalition for the Homeless signed their first collective bargaining agreement July 17.

NCH is a national policy network of homeless persons, activists, service providers and others committed to the single goal of ending homelessness. The two-year pact gives NCH Guild members substantial improvements in wages and benefits, and, most significantly, job security.

The contract covers headquarters staff in policy, community-organizing, and administrative positions. Three workers hired this fall signed on with the Guild, increasing the size of the unit to five members.

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Agence France-Presse Unit Wins One-Year Extension

In a rare example of a media organization and its employees working together during troubled financial times, Guild-covered employees approved a one-year contract extension at Agence France-Presse Dec. 14.

The two-year pact was set to expire New Year's Eve.

Most significantly, the agreement grants a 2.7 percent wage increase in 2002, and expands the bargaining unit to include the Los Angeles and San Francisco bureaus once a majority of staff members there have signed cards authorizing the Guild as their collective bargaining agent. This has already occurred at the Los Angeles Bureau, which has four Guild-covered employees. Organizing work continues at similarly sized AFP San Francisco bureau.

Members had completed bargaining surveys last summer to determine contract proposals, which were ratified at a Sept. 24 unit meeting. Bargaining began Oct. 3 and after one session, the extension was tentatively approved Oct. 9. The unit was prepared to propose a two-year agreement-a duration tradition since the first pact was signed in 1989-"Family-friendly" improvements such as a telecommuting clause, and changes in parental-leave policy. The two are not mutually exclusive-where practical, the telecommuting option would enable employees to dramatically reduce the "commuting" phase of their workweek to meet family or other needs.

The Agence France-Presse unit now has 50 Guild members and is entitled to a seat on the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Executive Council.

The bargaining committee was composed of Unit Chair Rob Lever, Corinne Suissa, Doug Curran, Sue Mendives, Jerry Jonas and Magan Crane; alternates will be Kate Beddall, Carlos Hamann and Josh Roberts. The chief bargainer was WBNG Local Representative Rick Ehrmann. Local Representative Paul Reilly also participated.

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Transitions & Transactions

The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild welcomes the following new and/or returning members. We also welcome corrected spellings and complete job titles for those whose names and/or work may not be properly identified.

AFL-CIO: Seth Anderson-Oberman (Recruiter), Anna M. Avato (Recruiter), Stefanie Bowie (Recruiter), Kevin Byrne (Campaigns’ Database Coordinator), Daniel Calamuci (Strategic Campaign Assistant.), Carol Carvalho (New York State Recruiter), Nicole Daro (Researcher), Sheri Dione Davis (Field Mobilization Intern), Tom Egan (Researcher), Benjamin Hensler (Campaign Coordinator), John Kenyon III (Researcher), Kristen Konefal, Jennifer D. Luff, Jennie Mahalick (Recruiter), Steve Marquardt (Research Analyst), Daniel McQueen (Research Analyst), Christina McDade (Recruiter), Jason Oringer (Recruiter), Cate Poe State (Director), Terri Reid (Regional Coordinator), Kathryn Roeder (Media Outreach Specialist), Samuel Smucker (Recruitment Coordinator), Edward J. Tynes, Stephen E. Wilhite (Production Coordinator)

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE: Ken Dermota (Writer),Michelle Kwajafa Multimedia Editor), Benjamin Mangamo (Inventory Supply Specialist), Alyson Myers (Image Forum Coordinator)

AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION: Patricia M. Amos (Staff Accountant), Elizabeth I. Conolly, Gwendolyn L. Cunningham (Special Assistant to the President), David Curtis (Systems Analyst Coordinator), Timotheus Fitzgerald (Senior Network Administrator), Valerie Foster Systems (Librarian), Evelyn E. Johnson (Director, Library Information Center), Roman Lesiw (Staff Attorney), Manjusha Narayanan (Senior Programmer), Stevie L. Perry (Service Manager), Merika Smith, Terence A. Springer (Senior Systems Analyst), Corey Thompson (Safety and Health Specialist), Kenneth Washington (Support Analyst), Mary Wheeler (Staff Attorney)

ASSOCIATION STAFF UNION/AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION: Leah R. Benson (Senior Administrative Assistant), Rita Gallagher, Elaine M. Scherer (Senior Certification Specialist), Rebecca Wiseman (Senior Staff Specialist)

AT-LARGE UNITS UNIT: Michael Grace, Michelle MaHoney (Senior Designer at Binti Design), Paul Reilly (Local 32035 Representative, transfer from Wire Service Guild)

BALTIMORE SUN: Michael Adams, Sheana G. Anderson, Julie Bykowicz (Reporter), Kimberly V. Copenspire (Commercial Sales Rep), Steve Coyle, Leah Donovan (Sales Rep), Dacia D. Dunson, James P. Hancock, Jr., Christy Istvanic (Outside Sales Rep), Mark Jackson, Amy Junod (Designer), Stephen Kiehl (Reporter), Paul Lindt (Electrician), Mary Linn (Sales Assistant), Elizabeth Lukes (Librarian), Chelsea Newhouse, Alan E. Perry (Telephone Sales Rep), Jenifer Philpotts, Margaret E. Prebula (Copy Editor), Thomas A. Strachan (Facilities Support Title?), Tim Swift (Copy Editor), David C. Walker, Colby E. Ware (Editorial Assistant), Mark Welborn (Facilities Support Title?)

BUREAU OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS: Shontee Bryant (Clerk), Pilar Cortes (Senior Development Specialist), John L. Dowling (Legal Editor), Tonya D. Duncan (Traffic Coordinator), Ronald F. Hebensperger (Product Designer), Catherine Holingsworth (DLR), Jingwen Hu (BNAS Training and Service Specialist), Theresa Knaub (BNA Plus Information Specialist), Dionne T. LaRoche, Xiaoln Li (Domain QA Analyst), Tammara C. Madison (Tax Law Editor), Maria E. Mahone (Reporter/Editor), Ernest D. Murphy (Keyer/Proofer), Jessica Nelson (Accounts Payable Title?), Katherine Rizzo (Editor), Christopher Rugaber (Reporter), Paul Schutte (BNAS Title?), John H. Sullivan (Copy Editor), Steven M. Toal (Information Specialist), Jeffrey L. Winograd (Copy Editor), Thomas A. Witherspoon (Technical Writer)

BNA CORRESPONDENTS: Christopher Brown (St. Louis Correspondent), Sheila O. Schimpf, Barney D. Tumey (Atlanta Correspondent)

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE: Operations Technician James E. Green III

E-L & ASSOCIATES: Nancy Nickell (Reporter)

FOOD & ALLIED SERVICE TRADES: Andrew P. Evans (Researcher)

FINGERHUT, POWERS, SMITH & ASSOCIATES: Christine Kirsch (Graphic Designer), Kelly Miller (Staff Assistant), Breya Threatt (Receptionist), Maxine L. Woodland

GEORGE MEANY CENTER/NATIONAL LABOR COLLEGE: Patricia A. Greenfield (Senior Staff Associate), Bonnie Ladin (Senior Staff Associate), Robert Morriss (Education Specialist), Julia E. Offiong (Librarian), Ruth Ruttenberg (Senior Staff Associate) KAMBER GROUP: Andrea Smith (Media Title?), Shan Zhu (Cost Accountant)

KAMBER GROUP: Andrea Smith (Media Department), Shan Zhu (Cost Accountant).

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL OF SUPPORTING SERVICES EMPLOYEES (SEIU LOCAL 500): Eric Schoenhals (Field Rep), Bonnita Spikes (Field Rep)

NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS: Barbara J. Duffield (Director of Education), Brad Paul (Housing Policy Analyst), Nicholas Phillips (Administrator), Ian Stevenson (Office Manager), Michael Stoops (Director of Community Organizing)

UNION OF STAFF EMPLOYEES/ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS: Josie Bautista, James B. Bowen (EC Coordinator), Elizabeth Ann Boyer, Stephani Brown, Francie Burkhart, Joseph W. Burns (Attorney), Carol Dempsey, Beth DeProspero, Jamela Des Vignes, Kian Frederick, Sharon Hanscom, Michael C. Hickey, Deborah Johnson, Shane Larson, Mark L. Littleton, Dinkar R. Mdkadam, Frederick Phillips, Vicki Pratt, Marjorie Sergl, Ashley M. Simpson, Kathleen J. Smith, Pauline A. Stohr, Ann Tonjes, Twanda Winston-King

UNITED FOOD & COMMERCIAL WORKERS: Jane Bostrom, Ellen McKinney, Donna J. Bowling (Documentation Specialist)

WASHINGTON POST: Brian K. Barger (Copy Editor), Contrice Baumgardner (Customer Accounting Rep), Sheila T. Beaman (Mail Coordinator), Antonia Beano Sr., Jennifer Beeson, Michael D. Bolden (Assistant News Editor), Bernice Braithwaite (Ad Sales Rep), Jerolyn C. Branham, Tia D. Breggs (Ad Sales Rep), David T. Brooking (Paginator), Monica Brown (Customer Service Rep), Michele Capots (Admininistrative Assistant), Louis Cannon, Jr. (Copy Aide), Rodney J. Cash (Circulation), Michael Copeland Sr., Michael Cotterman (Copy Aide), Suzanne B. Crawford (Copy Editor), James A. Crudup, Jr. (Driver), Wendy Dade (Ad Sales Rep), Marc E. Dancy (Editorial Aide), Joanna Duell (Accounting Department), Tracey Gant (Sales Assistant), Tawana Green (Ad Operations Specialist), Robert C. Hall, Tiffany N. Harness, Adrian Higgins (Assistant Editor), Khari S. Hawkins (Ad Sales Rep), Lisa Hill, Betty Holman, Deborah Y. Howard (Ad Sales Rep), Carolyn Jackson (Ad.Sales Rep), Carrie A. Johnson, Sean King Jones (Production Artist), Renee V. Kearse (Telephone Sales Rep), Bruce K. Kenner (Senior Staff Associate), Ronald W. King (Typographer), Anna Knapp (Outside Sales Rep), Amanda Lahan (News Aide), Ancelia V. Lee (Junior Staff Associate), Tuesday T. Lyon (Customer Accounting Rep), Nedeidra Mason, Rebecca L. Morrison, Mary Ann Mulligan, DeVaunte L. Ogden (Customer Accounting Rep), Edwina J. Palanzo, Melissa Paluch, Dalin Pei (Desktop Publisher), Rodney O. Pickett (Customer Accounting Rep), Marc A. Porow (Ad Operations Reviewer), Richard Pretorius (Copy Editor), Tressa O. Price (Senior Reference Specialist), Neil Salas (Central Records Associate), Abdul Kareem Shakir (Page Makeup), Ian Shapira (Reporter/Staff Writer), Mary Beth Sheridan (Reporter), Susan V. Kovach Shuman, Ann M. Simpkins (Ad Sales Rep), Mary Ellen Slayter, Margaret S. Smith, David Snyder (Reporter), Chris Stanford (Asstistant News Editor), Lauren C. Talcott (News Aide), Hubert Telesford (Senior Staff Associate), Gene Thorp (Cartographer), Abigail Trafford (Writer), William R. Valentine (Coordinator), Monica Washington (Customer Service Rep), Shirlevia C. Watson (Sales Rep), Kathi Wilcox (Copy Aide), Derrick M. Williams (Ad.Sales Rep), Emilia Williams (Customer Accounting Rep), Roderick Williams (Ad Sales Rep), Latoya Willis (Adv Title?), Meaghan Wolff (Copy Aide)

WORKING FOR AMERICA INSTITUTE: Camille Cormier (Training Coordinator), Veronica Rivera (Program Associate), Jeffrey R. Soth (Program Analyst), Marceil R. Wright.

If your bargaining unit is unrepresented-or underpresented-in this space, take it upon yourself to fix that! If you have good news about good stuff that good Guild members are doing on or off the clock-and bragging about yourself is encouraged-drop a line to Mark Pattison You can send e-mail to mpattison@catholicnews.com or pattison_mark@hotmail.com. On weekdays, you can also phone in the news at 202-541-3263.

- Mark Pattison
Catholic News Service

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Through the Lens: Washington Post Doings

Darlene Meyer, left, and Dita Smith hold a traditional if "small, informal Guild meeting" at the Washington Post. While management has left the gatherings -- held two or three times a month -- relatively undisturbed, there was one rather disturbing "at least take down the balloon" incident that left a bad taste in the mouth of many in the cafeteria on that otherwise lovely summer day. (Photo by Myra Hatala/Washington Post.)

Post commercial-side employees Bob Cooper (Advertising Operations) and Lynn Sulyma (Circulation), foreground, at late October reception to kick off "Contract 2002." In back, Local Representative Cet Parks, left, and the Rev. Graylan Hagler, the featured speaker at the event, which also honored WBNG organizing efforts in gaining more than 100 new members at the Post in the first three quarters of 2001. (Photo by Calvin G. Zon/WBNG Staff.)

Crystal Gisrael, left, Myra Hatala, and Local Representative Calvin Zon at the "Contract 2002" reception. Earlier this year, Hatala was honored as the Guild's "Organizer of the Year" for her efforts in 2000. Gisrael was one of Hatala's recruits this year. (Uncredited photo.)

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