March 10 , 2004

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BARGAINING BULLETIN #10

RFA Bargaining Focuses On Schedules, Workweek, Safety & Health

The past two bargaining sessions have focused on scheduling, the length of the workweek and the safety and health article in the proposed contract.

The Guild has been insisting on contract language that would prohibit your manager from scheduling you for split days off, such as having your days off as Monday and Thursday. RFA’s proposal would allow split days off.

The Guild also is proposing to limit the consecutive number of days you can be scheduled. Currently some employees periodically are scheduled for ten consecutive days over two calendar weeks. Under the latest Guild proposal, except in unusual circumstances, that would be limited to five consecutive days. Our proposal would allow for seven consecutive days over two calendar weeks when shifts are being rotated.

SCHEDULE CHANGES

The Guild and RFA also remain apart on how and when a schedule can be changed. The Guild insists that schedule changes be kept to the absolute minimum and only be allowed for news emergencies; staff emergencies due to illness or to grant unexpected leave to an employee. RFA says schedule changes should be at the discretion of the service director.

INCREASED HOURS?

RFA also continues to insist on increasing the workweek. The Guild has proposed the current eight-hour day with one-hour lunch, as well as two 20-minute breaks. RFA wants to increase the day by an hour and has ignored our proposal on the 20-minute breaks.

In health and safety, the main sticking point is whether safety and health disputes should be subject to the grievance and arbitration process as are all other contractual disputes. RFA says it doesn’t want an independent arbitrator deciding such a dispute.

BULLETIN BOARDS

Five months into contract negotiations, RFA is still insisting it be able to censor what goes up on a Guild bulletin board. RFA at the most recent bargaining session again demanded that there be only one Guild bulletin board, under lock and key controlled by the Human Resources Department. RFA has said it would ban anything critical of management or RFA. Management continues to insist on this, even while it’s unable to point to a single union contract that contains such restrictions.

CANTONESE SERVICE

Considerable time at bargaining has been spent on discussions concerning the decision to eliminate the Cantonese service. RFA has provided considerable information to the Guild so far but we are seeking more information. RFA bargainers continue to maintain the decision to eliminate the Cantonese service was made by the BBG and was not instigated by RFA.

The Guild and its lawyers are continuing to look into whether the decision to cut the Cantonese service violated federal labor law.

Meanwhile, our parent union (The Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America) has begun working with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to reverse the decision to cut Cantonese. Meetings with both Republican and Democratic representatives are in the works.

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