Radio Free Asia Guild Unit -- June 16, 2004 Bulletin

June 16, 2004

BARGAINING BULLETIN #16

RFA Management To Revise Job Security Proposal Following 'Spirited' Bargaining Session

After a spirited discussion concerning job security at the most recent contract bargaining session, RFA told the Guild it would revise its latest proposal dealing with layoffs, bumping and seniority.

Under the RFA proposal presented this week, the contract would contain no objective criteria in deciding who would lose their job in case of layoff. Instead, RFA management would have complete discretion in picking those to be laid off.

Guild chief bargainer Paul Reilly told the company its proposal was the “anti-job security proposal.”

Unit chair Karma Zurkhang also aired his concern about RFA’s disregard for seniority.

“I think there is a disconnect on the issue, and I hope the company will put a revised proposal on the table that includes seniority,” he said.

Reilly told RFA’s bargainers seniority has to be the main criteria in deciding who gets laid off. He repeated that the Guild would happily consider other objective measuring sticks.

Reilly told the company Guild bargainers were very disappointed in the company’s proposal, especially considering RFA had a week to work on it.

RFA chief bargainer Gil Abramson told the Guild its next job security proposal would have some objective criteria.

Almost all union contracts require that seniority be the main – if not only – criteria used in deciding who gets laid off. Seniority is used to determine layoffs in most unionized media companies, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Associated Press, Reuters, Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal, Agence France–Presse, CBS, ABC, NBC and Bureau of National Affairs.

Companies and unions settled on seniority because it’s the most objective measuring stick and because everyone knows exactly where they stand. It eliminates the possibility of a boss playing favorites.

The Guild and RFA also disagree on allowing employees to voluntarily accept a layoff and receive the appropriate severance. The Guild proposed that before anyone actually is laid off that volunteers be allowed to take the layoff and collect layoff severance, with the most senior getting first choice. This would reduce the chances of involuntary discharges.

The company’s response to that was even more incomprehensible than it’s layoff proposal. It proposed to “permit” those who are being laid off to resign instead. RFA’s bargainers conceded that was meaningless because anyone can resign anytime they want.

The two sides also disagree on allowing a laid off person to “bump” to another job he or she is qualified for. The company says it doesn’t want bumping but would allow a laid off employee to “apply” for a vacant position. That proposal is of little value since there’s little likelihood RFA would be filling vacant positions when it’s laying off workers.

Radio Free Asia Guild Unit -- News