Anyone up for breaking a strike?

Looks like the other unions are not willing to strike over some of the Guild issues.

Remember being in the room once when the pressman's union leader cornered the Guild leader:

"You got bullshit issues on the table, and you got 24 hours to get 'em off."

Not saying that the Philly Guild's issues are bullshit, but regardless of principle, solidarity is not always forever.

 

Probably, oldhack, because they're not looking to slice into those other departments like they want to do in the newsroom. PMH has said they've achieved savings through cutting back on staffing minimums (read: overtime) in other units. Kind of hard to do that in the newsroom, since when news happens, it happens.

 

Chuckles. Management will forever hire those who scabbed over those who were pro-union, and it's a character flaw to strike a newsroom job paying, oh, close to $50,000 in a severely depressed city like, oh, Youngstown. I agree with Jersey Guy's opinion of unions and his stance on siding with the little guy. The philantrophy of a union and its positive and negative aspects is a perplexing topic indeedy.

 

Forgot to post this the other day. Haven't seen another thread on it.

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By JOANN LOVIGLIO
Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The largest union at Philadelphia's two biggest newspapers has reached a tentative agreement with management on non-economic issues of a contract after a second day of marathon negotiations, union officials said early Monday.

One of the key non-economic issues for the Guild was protecting seniority in the event of layoffs, and the agreement, pending approval of union members, meets that goal.

"Seniority has been preserved," said Stu Bykofsky, spokesman for The Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia. "That was a huge obstacle."

A call to Philadelphia Media Holdings spokesman Jay Devine was not immediately returned on Monday.

Henry Holcomb, president of the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia, cautioned that critical economic issues, including management's proposal to freeze pensions, remain unresolved.

"It's hard, detailed work, and a lot has been done," Holcomb said.

The sides met for 12 hours, ending talks at 12:40 a.m. Monday, after a 14-hour session Saturday in which both sides reported some progress.

 

I've seen it: companies will give every other union in the building heaven and earth in order to isolate the Guild.
The strike is a useless weapon now, really. The only way to get a decent contract is go on the PR offensive and communicate with key advertisers.

 

UPDATE: Strike appears imminent
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/dailystrike/2006/12/strike_gets_near.html
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/dailystrike/2006/12/what_now.html

 

That's because we are the most expendable.

 

I'm not in the Guild, and I don't have a dog in the fight (even though me and a freelancer, who works for me, had a little chuckle about having a career as a strikebuster), but I find it hard to generate sympathy for the Guild.
Nine unions there want the deal to go through. Those nine understand that a strike would probably mean that the Daily News gets shutdown and real people lose real jobs.
I don't live in Philly and don't understand all the dynamics, but can someone explain to me why the Guild doesn't see that?
Or am I just missing something?

 

Oh, I can understand how the Guild could be less than enthusiastic about taking one for the
"team" (hahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahaha . .. )

 

Yes. The company is attempting to take away their pension benefits. Secondly, it's not as if all nine unions have the exact same deal.

 

PMH is targeting the Guild. I don't know if I'd go as far as calling it union-busting, but when you get all the other unions in the shop to tentatively sign onto deals but you offer the Guild less-favorable terms, I don't know what else you can call it.

It's understandable that PMH would want to alter the pension plan in these times. But to do so and refuse to contribute a dime to Guild 401(k)s? Speaks volumes. (According to the Guild, the company never has contributed to 401(k)s in lieu of the pension fund, and PMH wants to toe that line even after pension freezes.)

 

Are their drivers unionized?