• Management proposed two new guild positions: Writer and Senior Writer. The positions will pay $35,535 and $42,000 respectively without car allowances. The positions will be responsible for producing flyers, newsletters and other communications from the office.

• Internet: The internet can only be used for office business except during breaks or before and after work. The email is for Local 500 related use only, but the guild requested that we be allowed to use it for union related communication. Personal email addresses on hotmail or yahoo can be accessed from our computers. All business related email will be copied onto an electronic chron file just as the outgoing mail is currently handled.

• Individual issues: Weekly reports and leave time/absenteeism. Management would like to tie car allowance to the weekly reports to which the guild responded that such action would be punishing all because of a few. The guild also requested that we have a meeting with those who are late with reports before any action is taken. The guild took the position with regards to the leave issue that it had been legitimate because the person had documented with doctor's slips and had used leave that had been legitimately accrued.

Guild Issues

• Bargaining unit work: Unqualified persons in the office doing bargaining unit work. Management did not see it as a problem, but guild members should keep an eye out in the future for any problems. The guild offered to discuss changing hours of the grievance reps, if they are needed in the office to cover particular times.

• Seniority: An employee has returned to work ten month after quitting and has been denied seniority, vacation time and have placed the person on probation as if he were a new employee. The contract is silent on the issue, so the guild does not have a grievance, but we thought it would be a good will gesture to grant the employee basic benefits. There is no reason for the employee to go through a probation period a second time.

• Temp Grievance: This is part of the ongoing dispute over the temp in the office. The guild originally agreed to drop our grievance and management would agree to fill that position in ninety days. That was about four months ago. Finally they have begun receiving resumes and hope to fill the position by the end of the month.

General Issues

• Back Office Space: Management offered to hear suggestions for changing the back office.

• Office Cleaning: The guild spoke to management about the cleaning crew and requested either more frequent visits or a more thorough cleaning job.

• Office Keys: Management has not given out keys because they will likely switch to new card-key system that will restrict our access to the office.

Announcements

• Guild members should start thinking about contract proposals they would like to make. You can keep a file for yourself or hand any over to me to be filed. Hopefully sometime in January we will distribute a bargaining survey and begin talking about negotiations...I got an email from Chris Klemm who said to say "hi" to everyone and his baby is due any day now...Welcome Bob Pemberton...

Upcoming Events

• Oct. 10, 1 p.m. -- MCCSSE unit meeting. Some items on the agenda: altering the labor-management committee set-up; direct dealing; rearranging the back office, office access.

• Oct. 18, 8 a.m. -- Labor-management meeting.

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