Greetings

Isaac Newton's famous statement about "standing on the shoulders of giants" certainly applies to the way I feel about taking over the post of Unit Chair from Connie Knox. One reason I feel able to do this job is that Connie has promised me her help; from the rest of the Guild members, I ask patience as those of us in what is essentially an entirely new administration struggle to find our way.

Among the many buttons I have put on during my three decades association with The Guild, my favorite is the one that says, "We Are The Sun." The reason I wanted to be Unit Chair is simple -- I love the Baltimore Sun, the place I have worked my entire adult life. I want it to thrive in every sense of that word. And I think the only way that will happen is if the people who work here are treated with the decency, respect and fairness they deserve. That's because the button is right - we are The Sun.

Only a small handful of the Baltimore institutions that were founded and prospered in the 19th century survived the erosion of this city's prominent position in the country and of its economic foundations to make it to the 21st century with their reputations intact and their bottom lines in the black. The Sun is one of those. It is still are one of the top newspapers in America. It still makes substantial profits. We are the ones who have done the work that has maintained the journalistic and financial integrity of this newspaper. We have done this sometimes because of good management and sometimes despite bad management. We should be proud of that.

In my more than 30 years at what I still like to call The Sunpapers, I have been through two newspapers, seven publishers, six managing editors and three executive editors. I have been through the building of Sun Park and the launching of Sunburst. I have seen the transition from typewriters to computers, from cold type to hot type, from yelling "Copy over!" to hitting the "Transfer story to another basket" button. A constant through all of that has been The Guild, really the conscience of the place, reminding those in power who might think otherwise that it is the people who work at The Sun who navigate this constantly changing media environment with dedication, with enthusiasm, with pride in our work. The Guild helps protect us and this newspaper from the often selfish and ill-considered whims of those in power that could do grievous harm to us and the institution. I am proud to have been associated with this union for so long and I take on this new responsibility with respect for the many who have labored so hard to insure the strength of The Guild at The Sun for more than a half century.

We are certainly entering a difficult period in the history of The Sun and its unit of The Guild. There are ample reasons for us to ask if the Tribune Corp. shares our dedication to this newspaper and this city. And it is clear that we must demand the type of respect we deserve; it will not be given to us otherwise. The Guild, just as it has been in the past, will remain the institution we can count on for stability. We need to stick together. We need to look out for one another. If we do that, we will not only survive, we will thrive. And so will this newspaper. Because the button is right -- We Are The Sun.

- Michael Hill, Unit Chair

Now its time to say goodbye

For the past month, these words have been playing and replaying in my head: "Now it's time to say goodbye ..."

Some of you may recognize this as the end-of-the-show song from the old Mickey Mouse Club Show. And while I'm not going anywhere, I have stepped down as the Unit Chair at the Sun.

It has been an incredibly speedy three years. Along the way, I have worked with an amazing assortment of people and, at the risk of overlooking someone, I must thank my Guild colleagues --- particularly and most especially Angie Kuhl and Bill Salganik, my co-chair for two of those three years. But also the entire 2003 bargaining committee as well as Amy Davis, Dave Wright, Julie Bell, Candy Thomson, Michelle Ferrante, Jennifer McMenamin, Frank Roylance, the features copy desk (Lorena, Norine, Dave and David, Miles, Alverta, Helen and Alison plus all the stand-ins) who made my time away for Guild work possible, the good guys on the other side, the Guild staff (Lori, Cet and Rick and Schauf) and always and forever, Joan.

All along the way, I have urged you --- and urge you still --- to get involved in Guild activities as a steward, as a mobilizer, as an activist, as a leader. Whatever good things we have in our contract are there because Guild members have fought to have them there. That fight must continue.

It is heartening to look over my shoulder and find so many willing and oh-so-very-capable stepping into leadership roles. At a unit membership meeting held last Wednesday, Mike Hill was elected by acclamation as the new unit chair. Serving with him will be Julie Bell, editorial vice chair; Alvesta Cooper, commercial vice chair; and Joe Queen, building vice chair (nominations for the suburban vice chair position, currently filled by Larry Carson, will be received at the next membership meeting).

"Now it's time to say goodby..." Oh, forget that Mickey Mouse stuff. Ya want mouse? Be the Mighty Mouse that roared.

- Connie Knox, Former Guild Unit Chair

Layoff Update

When Sun managers take the very serious step of laying off Guild workers, they should follow the contract and do it correctly.

Twice in the last five weeks, workers have been handed pink slips and escorted out the door, although their actual layoff would not occur until four weeks later. The four weeks is important. The contract requires the company to meet with the Guild if we ask --- and we have asked --- during the four weeks to talk about the layoffs and to see if there is some way to ease the hardship.

During just such discussions over the seven people let go the week before Christmas, it became obvious even to the Sun that some of the part-time workers it had laid off were more senior to other employees. So it rescinded the layoffs to the four part-timers and laid off one full-time employee in ad ops --- even though she is more senior to some of the part-timers. Additionally, they reached into another area altogether and laid off a worker in advertising makeup.

Being laid off is not only an economic hardship, it can be a psychological blow as well. That's why it's important that if the Sun --- and Tribune --- is going to take that step, it get it right. But I have to say, it's hard to imagine why a company as profitable as Tribune is (just look at its fourth quarter report) has to let any of its workers go.

Stock purchase and 401(k)

Here's some info on your benefits you may not have received from high-performing Tribune:

By contract, Guild-represented employees are now eligible for the employee stock purchase plan. (Some have called the benefits center and been told they're not eligible, but this is incorrect.)

You can choose an amount to be deducted from your pay check, and the money is used to buy Tribune stock at a discount of 15% from the market price.

You can sign up by calling the benefits center, 1-800-872-2222.

You will need a personal identification number. This number was included on the middle of the first page of your benefits signup packet last fall (although that didn't make clear you'd need this number after the benefits signup.) If you didn't save your number, you can call the benefits center, and they'll mail you a new PIN, which takes about a week.

In the switch of 401(k) administrators, the electronic data on beneficiaries was lost. The lost beneficiary data applies not just to the 401(k) but to your pension plans. In theory, the beneficiaries you designated are recorded on paper somewhere. To be safe, however, go to the new 401(k) web site: www.yourretirementbenefits.net/tribune and add in the beneficiaries. You'll have to designate beneficiaries three times - for the 401(k) and two pension plans. (Even if you want your money to go to whoever gets the rest of your estate, designating beneficiaries may avoid time and expense in probate.)

While you're at it, it's a good chance to review and update your investment allocations.

You need the same PIN you need for stock purchase (see above). You also need your social security number and the social security number and address of anyone you want to designate as a beneficiary.

The Guild regrets the error

In a recent Guild bulletin, we made broad reference to a settlement involving one of the employees recently laid off. We shouldn't have, and we're sorry.

Negotiating satisfactory settlements requires that both sides trust the other to honor confidentiality agreements. We're often able to report that a case has been settled, but seldom able to tell you the details. We may wish we could tell you how much money we've gotten in settlements for members, but usually we can't.

Front Page Awards Reminder

Don't forget that the Guild Front Page and Guild Service Awards deadline is February 20, 2004. Complete entry information is available on our website at www.wbng.org.

Cash prizes return this year, after a brief hiatus. Below is the prize pay out for winning entries:

Grand Prize for Writing $250
Grand Prize for Photography $250
Grand Prize for Art $250
Guild Member of the Year $250
Shop Steward of the Year $150
Unit Officer of the Year $100
Organizer of the Year $100
Customer Service Professional of the year with a prize award to be determined.

The Awards Ceremony has been rescheduled for April 6, 2004, with a reception at 6:30 pm, and the ceremony at 7:15 pm.

The ceremony will be held at the AFL-CIO, 815 16th St., NW, Washington, DC.

Entries may be mailed, delivered or hand carried to the DC Guild office. All entries must be received by the close of business on February 20th at Front Page Awards, Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, 1100 15th Street NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005. For more information contact Mark Gruenberg (202) 898-4825 markgruenberg53@hotmail.com or Mark Pattison (202) 541-3263 mpattison@catholicnews.com

Grievances/Issues in the Pipeline

Right now the pipeline is clogged up with grievances. The pipeline will return next month after we meet over the next scheduled grievances.

A Message from Metropolitan Baltimore AFL-CIO Unions

Dear Working Families:

Members of the U.S. Senate last week backed off a filibuster against this year's government spending bill they were holding up because it failed to block the overtime pay take-away. Bush had threatened to veto the bill if it included an overtime pay protection guarantee for America's workers, even though both houses of Congress voted to block the overtime pay cuts in earlier votes. The Labor Department is expected to announce an implementation date for the overtime pay take-away before March 1.

We CAN win protection for overtime pay and good jobs if your voice is amplified by the voices of millions of other Americans. So today we're asking you to bring more people into the fight to protect overtime pay. We're ramping up the Petition to Save Overtime Pay with a new push to collect signatures and ask new people to join this fight. Please go to the link below to sign continued the petition if you have not yet signed it. http://www.saveovertimepay.org/

One fantastic way to find new people to speak out for overtime pay is to ask them personally, face-to-face. Please take one minute right now to go to the link below and download a printable petition form to circulate in your workplace or community. http://www.saveovertimepay.org/petition.htm

So far, more than 300,000 Americans have signed the petition online or through a downloadable petition form. We're tracking the number of petition signers by state and we're setting state-specific goals to triple the number of signers we have right now. So we're asking you to triple your efforts, too. Check the link below for the current number of signers in each state and your state's goal. http://www.saveovertimepay.org/counting_ot.cfm

Imagine if everybody in this network recruited 30 new petition signers. Tens of millions of Americans would be a part of this fight-and we'd win.

Please do your part to build this campaign and make a real difference. Together, we can protect overtime pay and good jobs. Millions of Americans may lose overtime pay and protections.

- Ernie Grecco President Metropolitan Baltimore Council