LOCAL ACTION 2007

December 2007 Executive Council meeting
* United Food & Commercial Workers contract approved.
* National Labor College bargaining team approved: NLC unit members Sharon Simon, Gene Dearden, Lynda DeLoach, and Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwich, and Local Representative Rick Ehrmann.
* United American Nurses contract extension approved.
* October financial report approved.
* Unit-leader training workshops on mobilizing/organizing and bargaining tentatively set for Saturday, March 8, at Central AME Church on M Street NW in Washington.
* Discretionary authority granted in the Department for Professional Employees salary-scale grievance.
* Discretionary authority granted in the UFCW workplace-violence grievance.
* Discretionary authority granted in the Baltimore Sun healthcare-policy change grievance.
* Update given on the Washington Post unfair labor practice case. Hearings ended Nov. 19. Briefs are due Feb. 1, with averdict expected in May.
* Council approved the purchase of a digital video camera at a cost of as much as $350.
* Council rejected a motion to reinstate the $50 membership incentive indefinitely at the Post.
* Council learned that both TNG International Chairperson candidate Connie Knox and TNG Region 2 Vice President candidate Sheila Lindsay are expected to attend the January Executive Council meeting.
* Council approved the creation of a local Elections and Referendums Committee. Mark Gruenberg (At-large) was appointed committee chair.
* Council scheduled the next meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 23, immediately following the General Membership meeting, at the local’s Washington office.

November 2007 General Membership meeting
* Reports were given on the CWA District 2 meeting, at which WBNG Executive Council member Dan Duncan, president of the Northern Virginia AFL-CIO, was a featured speaker. With District 2 Vice President Pete Catucci's impending retirement, an election will be held at the CWA convention next June for his successor. Ron Collins, a longtime employee in District 2 headquarters is running against CWA Local 2252 president Sean Linehan. WBNG President Bill Salganik and Administrative Officer Cet Parks said that they endorse Collins, who helped with the organizing of the Guild’s Radio Free Asia and Casa de Maryland units, as well as with defunding issues at the AFL-CIO.
* Reports were given on the TNG Multicouncil meeting. The centerpiece of the meeting was a candidate forum for TNG international offices being contested in elections to be held in Spring 2008. Salganik presented a breakdown on the two slates of candidates. Two WBNG members are running: former local president and current TNG Region 2 Vice President Connie Knox is running for international chairperson on the "A Stronger Guild" ticket headed by current TNG secretary-treasurer and TNG presidential aspirant Bernie Lunzer; and current WBNG Treasurer Sheila Lindsay for Region 2 vice president on the "TeamGuild" ticket headed by incumbent TNG president Linda Foley. Discussion ensued over whether and how to make endorsements, and whether and how to schedule candidate forums and in-shop appearances. Unit chairs are urged to give candidates tours of their shops. The local will invite candidates to make statements for publication in the Guild Forum.
* There was much discussion about whether and when WBNG should make endorsements. A motion on whether to consider making endorsements ultimately was tabled.
* A delegation to the TNG Sector Conference (Feb. 28-March 2) in Providence, R.I., was approved. It consists of Rich Bronson (BNA), Jim Grossfeld (at-large), Knox (Sun), Amy Lampkin (AFL-CIO), Lindsay (American Nurses Association), Darlene Meyer (Washington Post), Parks (at-large), Mark Pattison (Catholic News Service), Denise Riley (at-large), and. Salganik (Baltimore Sun).
* A motion was approved calling for the local to sponsor a TNG-candidates forum.
* A report was given on the recent meeting of the Maryland-D.C. AFL-CIO board. After much controversy, a resolution was passed to increase the per capita to 60 cents per member per month; it had been 40 cents, the second-lowest rate in the country. A move to put representatives of AFL-CIO constituency groups on the executive board failed.
* Reports were given on the recent “Future of Journalism Jobs” conference. Ken May (BNA), Pattison, and Salganik offered their impressions of the gathering, including one speaker's declaration that newspapers will disappear as soon as they figure out how to mine the Web for more revenue. It was suggested that a University of Maryland journalism professor be invited to speak at either a Washington Post bargaining unit meeting or a WBNG meeting. Survey results that formed the basis of the conference were distributed.
* Local Representative Joe Kahramann (at-large) was approved as a WBNG delegate to the D.C. AFL-CIO and to D.C. Jobs With Justice.
* A motion was approved to invest WBNG funds in money-market accounts in an amount smaller than previously authorized.

November 2007 Executive Council Meeting
* Council approved contributing $250 to both the D.C. and Baltimore AFL-CIO Community Services Agency holiday-baskets programs.
* Council approved sending Bill Salganik (WBNG President, Baltimore Sun) to to the Baltimore AFL-CIO leadership conference in Atlantic City.
* Council approved the purchase of 2,500 “Weingarten Rights” wallet cards.
* Council approved sending two people (as commuters) to the TNG “New Officers Seminar” to be held over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
* Council approved WBNG finanical reports.
* Local Representative Rick Ehrmann gave a report on the unfair labor practice hearings over the Post's abrogation of contract terms to institute Washington Post Radio and Onion advertising sales mid-contract without bargaining with the Guild.
* Discretionary authority to arbitrate was granted in a Sun overtime case.
* A Catholic News Service bargaining team of CNS staffers Mary Esslinger, Regina Linskey, Mark Pattison, and Local Representative Paul Reilly was approved. The two-year CNS contract expires Dec. 31.
* The 42-month American Postal Workers Union contract was approved.
* The BNA unit Web team was given permission to change its URL to bnaguild.org.
* TNG’s “Health Locals Initiative” was adopted for use within WBNG.

October 2007 Executive Council meeting
* Council approved spending: $500 for a half-page ad in the TNG sector-conference program; up to $400 for commuter registrations ($50 each) at the Oct. 26-27 TNG-CWA sponsored "Future of Our Jobs" conference in College Park; $400 in support for striking Southern California court interpreters.
* A report was received that a tentative settlement had been reached at APWU, with a ratification vote set for Oct. 16.
* The Department of Professional Employees contract was approved.
* A Change to Win bargaining team was approved: Lisa Gordon, Casey Cobolquinto, Chris Ortman, Sheheryar Kaoosji and Paul Reilly.
* Discretionary authority to arbitrate was granted in a United American Nurses election-procedure case; a Baltimore Sun health-care "fees" case; and a Sun out-of-classification case.
* Set Nov. 17 as date for next Executive Council meeting.

September 2007 General Membership/Executive Council meetings
* At the invitation of Administrative Officer Cet Parks, a representative of Morgan Stanley made a presentation on how the local could get a higher rate of return through investments on certificates of deposit and mutual funds. The members voted to invest $200,000 in two one-year CDs; $100,000 in one two-year CD; and $100,000 in one three-year CD.
* A permanent standing finance committee was created that will also have budgetary responsibilities.
Members volunteering to join the committee were Sheila Lindsay (American Nurses Association), Tiffany Harris (at-large), Paul Reilly (at-large), John Small (AFL -CIO), Amy Lampkin (AFL -CIO), Ken May, Mark Pattison, Bill Salganik and Parks. Salganik, as president, appointed Lindsay, the local treasurer, as chair.
* The July financial report was approved.
* The FY 2008 budget was approved
* A UFCW bargaining team was approved: Andre Roberson, Shannon Harris, Annie Kim, Brian O'Konski, Seth Payer, Tyler Shannon, Cet Parks and Tiffany Harris.
* A review of the Washington Post Radio NLRB case was presented (back pay issues). The Post will end its radio operation in late September.
* A retroactive unfair labor practice filing over a firing/settlement case was approved for the Radio Free Asia unit.
* Discretionary authority in a United American Nurses pre-termination payout grievance was approved.
* Discretionary authority in an American Nurses Assocaition internal-interview denial grievance was approved.
* New organizer Josif Kahramann introduced himself and detailed his methods.
* A change of the administrative officer's title was approved. The membership approved using "executive director" interchangeably with "administrative officer."
* Local delegations to the Maryland State-D.C. AFL-CIO conference, the CWA District 2 conference, and the TNG multi-council meeting were approved.
* Set Nov.17 as date for next General Membership meeting.

August 2007 Executive Council meeting
* Discretionary authority was granted in the AFL-CIO per diem language grievance.
* Discretionary authority was granted in the Baltimore Sun Web workers jurisdictional dispute.
* A report was given on the favorable-to-the-Guild NLRB decision on ULP charges for the Post’s refusal to bargain in the Washington Post Radio and Onion cases. The NLRB will try to come with a settlement proposal in advance of a September23 administrative law judge hearing. The Guild wants the Post to pay interest in any retroactive payments, which is the union’s right in this kind of case.
* Reports were given on two Post employees: A sports writer that the department had been trying to fire for a year-and-a-half has taken a new job; a Post driver's grievance has been settled in the Guild's favor; he is to been reinstated with full back pay and will be working at his previous pay rate in a different department at the Post.
* It was announced that Josif Kahramann has been hired as the local’s new organizer and will start Sept. 1.
* May and June financial reports were approved.
* A Radio Free Asia bargaining team was approved. The team consists of Guild unit members Karma Zurkhang, Liu Hong, Poly Sam, Thao Dao, Bhungyal Bhungyal, Huidon Cao, and Ko Ko Aung, and Local Representative Paul Reilly.
* The Montgomery County Council of Supporting Services Employees/SEIU Local 500 wage-reopener settlement was approved.
* A report was given on The Newspaper Guild sector conference and Communications Workers of America convention. Races for TNG president and secretary-treasurer are being contested; a Canadian region within CWA has been created; and four “diversity seats” have been added to the CWA Executive Board.
* Pursuant to a pledge made by the local at the TNG conference, council approved giving $500 to the Irving Leuchter Memorial Scholarship Fund..
* A meeting was set for Aug. 13 to recommend a WBNG budget for 2008. Serving on the budget committee will be the WBNG officers plus Executive Council members Ken May and Mark Gruenberg, and Guild staffers Cet Parks, Tiffany Harris, and Paul Reilly.
* Set Sept. 8 for the next Executive Council meeting.

June 2007 Executive Council meeting
* Approved board poll on re-scheduling of May meeting postponed by wrap-up bargaining sessions at Sun..
* Voted to support a recommendation on a resolution to go before TNG-CWA convention that calls for increasing the CWA Executive Board by adding four diversity seats.
* OK’d the May membership report.
* Heard summary of negotiations at Baltimore Sun. Tentative contract was reached 10 days before expiration date and immediately and overwhelmingly ratified by the Guild unit. Approved new collective bargaining agreement at Sun.
* Granted discretionary authority to arbitrate at the Sun for language of Dental/Vision coverage.
* Granted discretionary authority to arbitrate a grievance at the American Nurses Association.
* Granted discretionary authority to arbitrate a grievance at United American Nurses.
* Approved the June financial report.
* Set Thursday, Aug. 2 as date of next Executive Council meeting and September (no date) for next General membership meeting.

May 2007 General Membership/Executive Council meetings
[Due to what turned out to be the culmination of Baltimore Sun bargaining, the Executive Council meeting was cancelled; no quorum was achieved at the General Membership meeting]

April 2007 Executive Council meeting
* Approved the minutes of the March meeting.
* Voted to buy five tickets to the June 2 concert of the D.C. Labor Chorus.
* Bought 50 tickets to the July 20 “Labor Night” Washington Nationals game.
* OK’d the April membership report.
* Heard about our bid to represent workers at Change to Win.
* Got background and updates on three unfair labor practice charges lodged against the Washington Post.
* Gave approval to a 90-day new-member recruiting incentive plan at BNA.
* Approved the February financial report.
* Adjusted the local’s per diem policy on travel outside the United States.
* Deferred discussion on the Guild Forum local newsletter.
* Decided to send to bargaining unit chairs news about the Newspaper Guild’s Guild Service Award.
* Set Saturday, May 12, at the local’s Baltimore office, as the date and place for the next general membership meeting.

March 2007 Executive Council meeting
* Approved the minutes of the January Executive Council meeting.
* Confirmed the results of a e-mail “board poll” setting the date for the March Executive Council meeting and authorizing the purchase of two tickets for the D.C. AFL-CIO’s “Evening With Labor” dinner.
* OK’d the February and March membership reports.
* Voted to give the Webber Shandwick public relations firm a $5,000 retainer for public relations efforts connected with Baltimore Sun bargaining, and giving the administrative officer the authority to use an additional $5,000 for services.
* Approved a bargaining team for contract negotiations at the American Postal Workers Union.
* Extended by 90 days the membership recruiting incentive program at the Washington Post.
* Granted discretionary authority to take a out-of-classification grievance at the American Nurses Association to arbitration.
* Rejected a proposal to reduce or eliminate dues for unit officers.
* Donated $100 to the Lombardi Cancer Center in the memory of AFL-CIO unit cancer victim Jay Power.
* Heard an update from local treasurer Sheila Lindsay of her work on the Newspaper Guild’s Human Rights and Equity Committee.
* Received a report on the March 2-4 joint district council meeting in New York.
* Approved a $128 contribution to the Guild’s Irving Leuchter Memorial Scholarship Fund.
* Authorized three payments of $317.72 each to the Toledo Guild’s adopt-a-strike health insurance fund.
* Got an update on the progress of the organizer hiring effort.


February 2007 General Membership meeting
* Approved the minutes of the prior general membership meeting, in November 2006.
* Raised questions about delinquent members not in good standing, with a reply by Administrative Officer Cet Parks that a full accounting answer would be made available at the next Executive Council meeting.
* Received word that the Washington Post member recruitment campaign was nearing its target.
* Got notice that the Guild and CWA's congressional allies were ready to push back a planned cut in two of Radio Free Asia's language services.
* Reviewed the local's financial picture, including reasons behind the fiscal year 2006 surplus and the projected fiscal year 2007 deficit
*  Authorized sending six delegates to the TNG sector conference July 2-13 in Toronto, and three delegates to the CWA convention July 15-16, also in Toronto.
* Nominated – and elected by acclamation – local president Bill Salganik (Baltimore Sun), vice president Darlene Meyer (Washington Post), secretary Mark Pattison (Catholic News Service), treasurer Sheila Lindsay (American Nurses Association), administrative officer Cet Parks (at-large) and Newspaper Guild Region 2 vice president Connie Knox (Sun) as TNG sector conference delegates.
* Nominated – and elected by acclamation – Salganik, Meyer, Parks and Knox as CWA convention delegates.
* Briefed new and returning Executive Council members, as well as general members, about officers' functions and initiatives within the local.
* Set Monday, March 26 – the day of the Front Page Awards and Guild Service Awards – as the next general membership meeting date.

January 2007 Executive Council meeting
* Approved minutes of the December 2006 meeting.
* OK'd the January 2007 membership report, subject to the clarification of the spelling and status of a Casa de Maryland unit member.
* Approved the contract agreement at the International Labor Communications Association.
* Granted discretionary authority to pursue arbitration in the Sue Dancey discharge case at BNA.
* Granted discretionary authority to pursue arbitration in the Tibetan service discharge case at Radio Free Asia.
* Approved the November 2006 financial report.
* Set Monday, March 26, as the date for the Front Page Awards and Guild Service Awards ceremony at the AFL-CIO headquarters building in downtown Washington.
* Renewed the local's membership in the D.C. chapter of Jobs With Justice.
* Set Tuesday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., as the date and time for the next Executive Council meeting.