Sept. 13, 2004

Ethics Policy Will Affect Guild Work and Home Lives

Some progress was made at the bargaining table last week for a company-wide ethics policy, particularly on civic and political activity; but much more work needs to be done before the deadline set by Tribune of September 24, 2004. In an important agreement on Friday, the Guild agreed to management's modified "civic and political activity" proposal that news department staff (exactly which staff should be covered is still being negotiated) may not:

  • Seek public office;
  • Campaign for or endorse candidates, partisan political organizations or campaigns, including those seeking legislative or regulatory change;
  • Serve on government bodies;
  • Sign petitions relating to an issue the he or she covers directly or indirectly;
  • Wear political buttons, display political bumper stickers or campaign signs; or
  • Publicly espouse a cause or participate in a demonstration relating to an issue that he or she covers directly or indirectly.

(The underlined language reflects the company's changes from its initial proposal).

Among less difficult aspects negotiated so far: management agreed to post the policy on the Loop, and also agreed that news side staff need not seek permission to join professional journalism associations.

Among the many thorny areas still under negotiation, however:

  • The company's overly broad prohibition against any Guild covered employee having any sort of business interest that the company determines might be in competition with any of its far-flung enterprises.
  • The Guild's proposal that the "part III" Newsroom and Editorial Department restrictions apply only to news side employees directly responsible for covering and reporting the news.
  • The Guild's proposal that the policy not limit employees' federal labor law protection (under the National Labor Relations Act); that employees choosing to exercise these rights may freely do so, with the company free to adjust any assignments accordingly to assure no conflict of interest.
  • The company's proposal that it can unilaterally change the ethics policy in the future without bargaining with the Guild.
  • The company's proposals that most employees sign annual compliance statements acknowledging that they have not violated the ethics policy, and that newsroom side employees annually list "all activities, endeavors, or any other interests that might give rise to a conflict of interest with their professional performance of duties" or "raise doubts about the Sun's independence, credibility, and integrity" or that would "create the appearance" of a conflict of interest.
  • The company's vague, broadly worded limits on the ability to freelance or take outside employment.

These are difficult issues that will affect every Guild covered employee's work and private life. The Guild is committed to negotiating in good faith to arrive at an ethics policy that respects employees' privacy and legal rights, while assuring that The Baltimore Sun is the most trusted source of news and information. Guild covered employees HAVE ethics.

-- The Guild Bargaining Committee
You'll find a link to the Guild's proposal at www.wbng.org.

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