In a meeting Monday with LANG VP of Labor Relations, Local 9400 Guild reps sought to lessen the sting of the recent newsroom cutbacks. Though some progress was made, our reps got another grim look at the company's intensified greedy grab of resources.
They hand-delivered a number of grievances it has filed over the company's stampede to railroad loyal workers off the payroll. With its surprise announcement of "transfers" and layoffs, the company failed to provide a contractual 2-week notice to the union. Guild reps demanded the company honor the provision requiring such notice of lay offs and a two-week severance payment for every employee affected. While the company agreed, it all but ruled out any opportunity for an enhanced severance package, claiming those additional company costs would need to be offset by additional staff cuts.
The Guild is reviewing potentials for legal action on other contract violations.
It's been suggested that the company blind-sided the union. Rumors have circulated for months about the possibility of cuts and while the union has repeatedly inquired if there was any basis to them, the company remained vague. Its actions here and at the LA Daily News last week speaks volumes about a company that cares very little about its employees.
* Clarification from Vicki Di Paolo, VP CWA Local 9400—
"The contractual 2-week notice to the Guild provides an opportunity for your representatives to meet with the company and discus the impact to the affected staff. Although the company informed us, at our meeting Monday March 3, that they are not interested in enhancing the amount of severance as doing so may result in the need for additional layoffs we did discuss the possibility of enhanced COBRA and tuition reimbursement benefits. Friday, March 7, at 10:00 am. We will be meeting again for further talks."
Monday, March 3, 2008
Guild takes action *
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1 comment:
Once again, the 9400 guild reacts instead of anticipating things and learning about them beforehand.
Your indignant letter about sharing content with the Orange County newspaper to management last week is reminiscent of the climax of the movie Seven. John Doe smirked as Brad Pitt insulted him, knowing he had already "won" by killing that which was most dear to Pittt's character.
That is likely the same way LANG management responded to your letter: a chuckle, knowing that much worse was already in mption while you concentrated on surface things instead of asking deeper questions.
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