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PhillyUnions.com News Archive - 2006 Current News December '06:
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December 19, 2006: Newspaper Guild Ratifies Contract by a 498-69 Vote For Immediate Release A new three-year contract was ratified by members of Local 10 of The Newspaper Guild, by a 498-69 vote. The final vote was announced after 9 p.m., at the end of a meeting that started at 7 p.m. At the start of the meeting, Diane Mastrull, chair of the Inquirer-Daily News unit, with some 900-plus members, recommended members accept the "unanimous vote of the bargaining committee" for approval. There were some 200 members present at the peak of the meeting, held in Temple Rodeph Shalom on North Broad Street. Some 275 members, who were unable to attend the meeting, voted by absentee ballot. A total of 567 ballots were cast. Speaking about the contract, Mastrull said, "it could have been far worse." After her recommendation the floor was open for comments and questions. Thirteen members spoke, a majority of them having questions about pension provisions in the contract. Only one speaker directly urged rejection of the contract. After the questions subsided and a motion was approved to start the vote, another motion was presented, and approved after some debate. That motion "instructs the Local 10 Executive Board to discuss - and pass - a resolution saying the following: "1 - Because of their tight-fisted, slash-and-burn, anti-labor tactics, we have NO CONFIDENCE in the new owners' actual desire to publish great newspapers. "2 - Because of the new owners' recent record of poor business decisions, which includes hiring executives while promising layoffs of union workers, we have NO FAITH in their desire to treat employees with fairness and dignity. "3 - Because of the yawning chasm between what the new owners promised and what they now are delivering, we have NO STOMACH to hear any more of their cheerful prattle. "For the new owners we have An amendment, which was accepted, asked that the new owners be mentioned by name. December 16, 2006: Guild Negotiators Ask for "Yes" Vote For Immediate Release CHAIR MASTRULL ASKS 'YES' VOTE FOR SHAMEFUL, INSULTING CONTRACT Unit Chair Diane Mastrull, in a letter to Guild members, asks them to vote "yes" at Monday night's ratification vote, despite the contract being shameful and insulting. She asks members to put their anger aside and closes with a message to the publisher. December 15, 2006 Dear Guild Members, We the Bargaining Committee are asking you to vote YES for the tentative contract agreement. What we will never ask of you is to not be angry about it. Be angry. We are. But vote YES. It is a contract full of pain and insult. It is a contract that requires sacrifice and trust. It is a contract that Brian Tierney and the local investors should be ashamed of. As one spirit-crushing proposal after another came across the table from our owners, we seethed. And then we processed our anger and pledged to redirect it as constructive energy. The end result is the contract you're being asked to support - one that is FAR better than the company wanted you to have. Had we let our anger consume us, no good would have come of it. DO NOT let your anger drive your decision. DO NOT reject this tentative contract. If you do, you will see the worst of the company's proposals replace those we have now - the ones the Bargaining Committee worked for months to secure. We were insulted and angry, but we worked through that anger and focused on getting the best we could for you. So spend the next few days working through your anger and focusing on the truth here: We need to take control of these newspapers through our work. We can be the true owners of these papers. If we let our anger consume us, we will destroy the papers, destroy jobs and destroy families. To Brian Tierney and his wealthy friends, it will be a mere tax write-off. They'll move on, chalk it up as a bad investment and lick their wounds on their yachts in the Caribbean. We are professionals first and foremost. We've been through a great deal together over the last few years. With each insulting development, with each new direction from management, we have endured. We have carried on with professionalism that our readers and advertisers have come to depend on. We need to do that now more than ever. We are the heart and soul of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. In the closing minutes of the contract negotiations, I told company negotiators to deliver this message to Brian Tierney: "This contract is something no amount of Tastykakes, soft pretzels or commemorative coins will make up for. On our ledger, he finds himself in the negative category when it comes to goodwill." With this contract, we are giving him the opportunity he asked for to get these papers back on track. This contract does not, however, require us to give up our dedication, our pride and our resolve. And that, friends, is our leverage going forward. In solidarity and hope, Diane Mastrull --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 14, 2006: Guild Explains Contract to Members in Marathon Meeting For Immediate Release The fireworks that some expected never materialized last night at a Guild meeting that lasted from 7 p.m. until 10:20 p.m. The meeting was somber as a funeral, as some hard-won benefits won over decades were given the last rites as a dozen members of the Guild negotiating team, and leadership, expressed bitterness about a contract they are forced to recommend to members. More than 200 members attended. The Guild has some 900 members. Guild leaders patiently answered questions about editorial and advertising rules, seniority, the pension, sick leave and other issues. Members were more mournful than mad, and they applauded the efforts of negotiators who have put in endless hours over the course of many days to come up with a contract that they themselves termed a "bitter pill." A few shed tears last night by the end of the meeting. Several Guild members strongly questioned aspects of the contract and asked about the ramifications of rejecting it at a ratification meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Temple Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St. "This is not 1985," said Inquirer-Daily News Unit Chair Diane Mastrull, in reference to a 46-day strike, the longest in the papers' history. There is no guarantee of jobs "when we put down those picket signs." The contract's only improvements, which Mastrull termed "minor," came for the Suburban Writers and Photographers unit. Members in that unit are paid less for the same work as members in the main unit. Addressing the members, Mastrull said, "you can be angry" and cited a "sense of betrayal" the Guild feels about the publisher, but the Guild's bottom line was "to save jobs." "Be angry, be disgusted, but direct it at people who overpaid for these papers so we have to bail them out." Local President Henry Holcomb said the recommended, disagreeable contract, provides a foundation on which the Guild can build when business improves in the newspaper industry. -- Spokesman Stu Bykofsky --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 13, 2006: Newspaper Guild and the PN Reach Tentative Agreement For Immediate Release TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN GUILD AND COMPANY Dec. 13, 2006 The Guild and the PN reached a tentative agreement on all issues at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday. "It's a package requiring a lot of sacrifice from our members. But it is a package that is far less devastating than what the Company originally proposed," said Unit Chairwoman Diane Mastrull, who led the negotiating team into holding onto many of our benefits. There's no sugar coating this contract. It is a disappointing, giveback deal. We will discuss elements of the contract more fully Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Congregation Rodeph Shalom Synagogue. This is not a ratification meeting, but one will be held as soon as we can book an appropriate sized venue. Below is a brief description of the hot-button issues. DURATION: 3 years. The contract expires at Midnight August 31, 2009. WAGES: Employees shall receive no pay increase in the first year. Full-time employees shall receive a $1,500 bonus (paid in two parts) in the second year. Employees shall receive a $25 per week raise in the third year. Due to rising increases in health and welfare costs, it is possible that some if not all of this money will be diverted into the Guild's health and welfare fund which is responsible for your sick benefits. PENSION: The Guild and PN will work through the Pension Board, which is comprised of three Guild trustees and three PN trustees, to merge with a multi-employer pension plan by Dec. 31, 2007. A multi-employer plan is a pension plan in which more than one employer participates. Many single-employer pension plans nowadays are also merging into multi-employer pension plans which provide economic incentives to companies and which are considered safer investments than single-employer funds. Because our plan is healthy, it is an attractive merger partner and we are hoping to negotiate a seat on the board of the new fund. Employees will receive an additional year of benefit service credit on their pensions for the year 2007. Once merged into a multi-employer plan, our pension may be frozen, but there is also an option to keep the plan alive, with employee contributions coming through payroll diversions. The Company will give $4 million to the Guild earmarked as a contribution to the new multi-employer plan or to fund an employee's existing 401(k) or establish a 401(k) for employees who do not yet have such an account. There are however, no plans for PN to contribute any additional money, or ongoing "match" to employees' 401(k) accounts. There is tremendous financial incentive for the employer if the Pension Trustees can successfully establish a multi-employer plan merger. However, if such a merger does not take place, the company may eventually assume sole administration of the pension fund. Because so many members have said they have little to no trust for our new owners, we have negotiated extraordinary transparency so we may monitor the plan and additionally, have full legal recourse in the event of any appearance of impropriety by PN with the pension fund. Despite members' concerns, PN will not be able to invest our pension fund recklessly. Under the strict federal laws of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the employer shall be obligated to invest our pension fund with the utmost caution. SICK TIME: A Guild member can take up to 40 weeks sick time, depending on how long he/she has worked here (Article 21 of the current contract) but they will be paid at 65 percent of their salary rather than at 100 percent as it is today. In the event of injury or hospitalization, benefits (at 65 percent pay) shall begin on the first day of absence. For the first absence due to illness in any calendar year, employees will be paid at 100 percent for up to three days of absence. After the first three days, they shall be paid at 65 percent. If an employee is not absent due to illness between either January 1, 2007 to June 30, 2007 or July 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 he/she may earn an additional "pass" of up to three days of pay at 100 percent. Employees can carry a "pass" into the next calendar year, but can at no time hold more than two. If the employee does not have a pass and calls out sick, he/she will not be paid until the fourth day of illness at which point they will be paid at 65 percent rate. SENIORITY: There are changes in the reduction in force (layoff) language for the newsrooms and for advertising sales people but not for other job categories. In the newsrooms, all classes of editors, artists and photographers will continue to live under straight seniority. However, there are carve outs for some beat reporters, columnists and critics, as designated by what Inquirer editor Bill Marimow and Daily News editor Michael Days have identified as the core functions of their newspapers. The editor may skip over those classes of reporters as he works up the layoff list. He must, however, allow anyone in danger of being laid off and who has held any of those beats for a year to bump less senior employees. As for the ad department, commissioned sales people will now be merged into the seniority list with salaried sales people based on their dates of hire. -- Spokesman Stu Bykofsky --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 12, 2006: 12/11/06 Late Guild Update: All Talk, Very Little Movement Negotiations between The Newspaper Guild and the company broke off at 12:45 a.m., with the Guild waiting for a company response to its latest modified proposal on the pension issue. Guild negotiators worked diligently for some 14 hours. No meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, but the federal mediator is to talk with company negotiator Rob Barron at 11 a.m., after which a session may be called. Guild negotiators will be standing by, as usual, ready to meet with the company. -- Spokesman Stu Bykofsky --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 11, 2006: From The Newspaper Guild 12/11/06 For Immediate Release GUILD TO RETURN TO TALKS WITH SURPRISED PUBLISHER Guild negotiators will report for joint talks scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday. The company is now expressing surprise (Inquirer 12/11/06) at Guild resistance to the company's demands to freeze the pension and take it over. "They shouldn't be," Guild Local President Henry Holcomb. "If they were surprised, it's because they didn't calibrate the cost to our members of what they proposed. We asked them to do that from the beginning, but they weren't listening." Guild negotiators met over the weekend and crafted responses to the company's positions on pensions. The company proposes to both freeze contributions into the fund and to take over sole management and direction of the fund. The fund board currently has three union representatives, three company representatives, and an impartial chair. There is almost $187 million in the safe and healthy fund, almost all of which was placed there by the newspapers' former owner, Knight-Ridder, in trust for Guild members. In some cases, contributions to the fund were made possible by members taking less as wage increases and diverting some of that money to the pension fund to insure their future financial security. Following is a story from the 12/11/06 Philadelphia Inquirer: Surprise at union's reaction to pension issue By Joseph N. DiStefano The owners of The Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News say they were surprised that, of all the issues separating company and union negotiators, their plan to stop paying into the pension plan of the biggest union and take over its assets was the one that nearly led to a strike last week. "What we are proposing" to the 1,000-member Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia, publisher Brian P. Tierney told employees, "is in line with most other companies." The company needed to reduce pension costs to remain competitive and reduce threatened job cuts, he said. Indeed, DuPont Co. and Unisys Corp., two of the region's biggest employers, froze or reduced contributions to their traditional pension plans this year and offered instead to double their contributions to 401(k) plans. Those examples share a key difference from the Philadelphia Newspapers dispute: To date, the company has not offered to contribute to a 401(k) plan. Company officials declined comment. Traditional pensions are federally guaranteed, and the pension sponsor, typically an employer, must make up any shortfall between its assets, which are typically invested in stocks and bonds, and estimated future payments to retirees. By contrast, 401(k) money is invested by workers, and rises and falls with the investment markets. By freezing pension plans, employers limit their future financial liability to keeping the plan solvent so they can still pay people who earned benefits before the freeze. "Nationally, there's a trend away from these 'defined-benefit' pension plans," said G. Victor Hallman, a pension scholar at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Tighter federal funding standards "have accelerated that move." Guild pension documents show that the company pays about $4.5 million yearly, or 7 percent of Guild workers' pay, into the fund. Under new federal rules, the company is potentially on the line for many millions more to keep the plan solvent. DuPont expects the savings from switching from pension to 401(k) contributions to boost its profit about $27 million next year and $45 million a year from 2008 forward, according to spokeswoman Michelle Reardon. Unisys expects its change to help cut overall retirement expenses, from $200 million last year to $85 million in 2008, according to spokesman Jim Kerr. Even companies like International Business Machines Corp. and Circuit City Stores Inc., which had enough money set aside to pay all future pensions, have frozen their plans, according to a recent study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Verizon Communications Inc. froze pensions for its management, but did not freeze its union workers' plan. Companies are cutting worker pensions for a variety of reasons: 401(k) plans are less risky for employers; retirees are living longer, increasing the cost of their pensions; executive compensation and company health-care costs are rising rapidly, putting pressure on other employee expenses; and stricter federal accounting laws have pressured companies to put more money in their plans, according to the Boston College researchers. The Guild, which represents most white-collar workers at the company, says it is willing to consider changes to the pension plan, including combining its plan with those of other employers or unions, and having workers fund it from paycheck deductions. But it has steadfastly refused to consider the company's proposal to take control of the fund. The Guild plan is currently run by a joint board of union and company trustees. The company said that, since it has the ultimate financial responsibility for the plan, it needs the final say over the fund's future investments. The Guild has demanded continued representation, but said it would offer a new proposal today. Tierney said that he needed to improve the fund's performance from what it was under the Knight Ridder-Guild joint board or that it would drain millions of dollars from his company. The Guild says the fund has performed well. On June 1, it had $187 million in assets - more than enough under old pension standards. But under the new federal Pension Protection Act of 2006, estimated future liabilities amount to $204 million, Guild President Henry Holcomb said, creating an accounting liability of $17 million for the company. The company estimates the net liability of the fund on June 1 slightly higher, at $20 million. And while the company and the union say the deficit has shrunk since then, the company also says it expects the liability to likely double to more than $40 million over time, if the plan isn't frozen. Why the sudden switch from surplus to deficit? The new law requires plans to assume investment returns of 6 percent a year, instead of the old standard of 8 percent, according to Holcomb. The plans need more money now to offset the assumption that they will be making less later. Company officials point out that the plan returned less than 4 percent, on average, under joint Guild and Knight Ridder management from 2002 to 2005. Holcomb counters that, since 1990, the plan has returned 9.7 percent a year, on average, above both the old and new standards. While the Guild plan gained less than the typical pension plan in 2003 through 2005, it also lost less than the typical plan during the stock market crash of 2000-02, compared to national figures reported earlier this month by John Ehrhardt of the pension actuarial firm Milliman Inc. The Guild fund invests mostly in U.S. stocks, along with foreign stocks and bonds. Managers include Stoneridge Investment Managers, of Berwyn, run by former CoreStates Financial Corp. investor Philip Brown II; along with units of Legg Mason, Alliance Bernstein, and Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO), among others. Tierney has said he expects to boost investment returns if the company gains control of the fund assets. The plan ran a surplus in the 1980s and 1990s, and used the money to increase benefits to retirees, noted former Guild president and plan trustee Kitty Capparella. Multi-employer funds enjoy more lenient federal funding rules than single-employer plans; they also have more limited worker protections. Retiree Henry Sandler of Philadelphia says he and his coworkers lost out when Raytheon Corp. froze his pension plan at the former United Engineers & Constructors. Even though the plan is now running a $150 million surplus, the company hasn't boosted checks in 14 years - since before it was frozen and added to Raytheon's multi-employer plan with other funds that run deficits. Company officials told retirees that they were under no obligation to pay an increase under the rules of the multi-employer plan - and that they didn't feel free to do so, given that other plans in Raytheon's combined fund were running deficits. What would Philadelphia Newspapers do if it were able to lift the plan out of its current accounting deficit so it become overfunded? "Quite honestly," executive vice president Gordon Medenica said, "we've had no discussion around here about a surplus." -- Spokesman Stu Bykofsky --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 9, 2006: Thank You from Phila. Fire Fighters' Union IAFF Local 22 On behalf of Brian McBride, President of the Philadelphia Fire Fighters' Union, IAFF Local 22, I wish to thank all the members of FOP Lodge 5, AFSCME DC 47, AFSCME DC 33 and all the other AFL-CIO unions that came out and supported our plea for Mayor Street to honor our contract. Hundreds of Local 22 members were joined by other union members and the public on Thurs. 12/7 in a march on city hall calling for the mayor to honor and implement the ACT 111 binding arbitration award. President McBride called on the mayor to, "do the right thing, and honor this award." McBride was joined by Lodge 5 president Bob Eddis, and DC 47 president Tom Cronin echoed President McBride's sentiments. "An attack on one of the municipal unions is an attack on all municipal unions," said Cronin. For over a year, Philadelphia's Firefighters and Paramedics have been working without a labor contract to help keep the City safe for you and your family. Throughout this period, the City has taken step after step to avoid honoring the Firefighters' and Paramedics' binding contract. The City has spent hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of dollars of YOUR MONEY to fight the Act 111 contract award that was lawfully decided by a panel of arbitrators. That Award provides for a process to address fire company closings ensuring that both Firefighters and Citizens have a say in this critical public safety issue. The Award also places a trained Paramedic on engine companies to speed Advanced Life Support care to victims of cardiac arrest. Programs like this can dramatically increase chances of survival for our citizens when time is of the essence. In fact, if the protections called for by the most recent Firefighter contract award are not implemented, a Philadelphian's chance of survival from cardiac arrest will be less than 4%! Dave Kearney December 9, 2006: Guild Answers Company's Q&As on Pension This is a message to Guild members in answer to questions and answers about the pension sent out by the company on Friday. Unfortunately, I cannot access the company's FAQs from my present location. Those who wish to see them, leave a request for me at 215-854-5977 and I will get them to you on Saturday. Spokesman Stu Bykofsky December 8, 2006 Guild Members: This afternoon's Company "Bargaining Bulletin" contains a number of distortions. This will help set the record straight. Is the Guild pension adequately funded? Yes. As of June 1 it was 92 percent funded under the new pension law's assumptions, which is considered healthy. (Under the previous law its assets available for benefits was 117 percent of liabilities.) Because market conditions fluctuate, pension assets gain value during some periods and lose during others. Since June the stock market has rebounded, and the shortfall is likely to be substantially smaller in the next accounting. It is far from certain that the Company will have to make the substantial additional contributions to the fund that it complains about. Any future obligations could be dramatically reduced if the fund were merged into a multi-employer plan. While the Guild is willing to consider this, it is not willing to leave all decisions solely in the company's hands. Has the fund had poor investment performance? No. The Company has illustrated this claim by choosing a period - 2002 through 2005 - that includes a severe drop in the stock market. For the year ended Sept. 30, the return was 7.68 percent - just shy of the 8 percent in the plan's long-term projections. For the two years ending Sept 30, the fund returned 8.8 percent a year. For the past four years it averaged 11.19 percent a year. For the past 5 years it averaged 6.76 percent. For the past 16 years, 9.71 percent. Have Guild pension trustees resisted Company efforts to change investing strategy? No. Guild trustees have worked collaboratively with management trustees to refine the strategy as times have changed. If the trustees were to split evenly over strategy, the issue would be resolved by an arbitrator. The arbitrator would, by law, have to resolve the dispute according to what he or she believes to be in the best interest of beneficiaries of the pension fund. Have the pension trustees hurt the fund by raising benefits in the past? No. Benefits have been raised only on occasions when the fund ran such large surpluses that the company stood to lose the tax deduction on its contributions. Company trustees approved these benefit increases. Has the Guild created financial problems for the company? No. The new owners knew this was a union company when they bought it. They knew the Guild had a pension plan, good health benefits and a traditional seniority system. Prior to the purchase, they did not approach the unions to discuss givebacks. If the Company does have financial difficulties, a large part of the problem is the owners' decision to pay too much for the company and to borrow too much at very high interest rates. The owners apparently failed to take the basic precaution of setting aside an emergency reserve. If the Company has a financial problem, does it have alternatives to slashing employee benefits? Yes. It can attempt to renegotiate its loans. It can get the owners to contribute more money to pay down the high-interest debt. Or it can recruit new partners to raise funds and pay down debt. Reducing debt payments would give the Company breathing room until the advertising market improves. The Company could thus avoid cost cutting that is likely to throw the business into a death spiral. -- Your bargaining committee --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 8, 2006: Open Letter from Brian Tierney and Guild response For Immediate release Brian's Song Below you will find a 12/7/06 open letter from Brian Tierney to employees of Philadelphia Newspapers, which we are sharing as a public service. Skipping over the self-serving blather, Brian Tierney writes (on Page 2) that "we are all in this together" - except when it comes to directing the investments of our pension fund. That's when it becomes "me," not "we." We have a problem with that for one simple reason: It's OUR money, put there for US by Knight-Ridder. It is not Brian's money to invest. The fund is both safe and healthy. The text follows: December 7, 2006 An Open Letter to Employees: At the very beginning of negotiations with our unions, I said that I would treat our discussions with confidentiality and respect, and not negotiate in public. However, with all the rhetoric going around, I feel we must separate some facts from fiction. Let me highlight a few examples. We are not proposing to take away anyone's pension benefit. The Pension Fund is federally guaranteed. We are only proposing to no longer make additional commitments to the Fund. Those employees with many years of service have already earned and vested their pension benefit. The benefit you have will still be paid to you upon your retirement. Employees with many years ahead of them before retirement will have plenty of time to plan for their own retirement with a variety of tax-advantaged plans, for example a 401(k). Everyone's existing pension is fully protected by law. It is illegal, immoral, and repugnant to take any actions that would threaten the security and integrity of the Pension Fund. We are offended by suggestions that our proposal to manage the Fund has the ulterior motive of "raiding the fund" or stealing its capital. Our investors, including another union's pension fund, are highly visible and respected members of the Philadelphia community. We are saddened by the rumor-mongering that has spread fears among the Guild rank and file. Our proposal to manage the Fund has a simple motive; we want to maximize the investment returns of the Fund because we are fully responsible for its funding level. We are legally bound to insure the full funding of the Fund, and recent Federal legislation has only strengthened the legal framework of such funding requirements. Since we are on the hook for the unfunded liability, we want the decisionmaking authority to maximize the investment returns of the Fund. The Guild has no incentive to maximize returns since we must fund any shortfalls. We have also proposed to allow the membership to accrue additional pension benefits in the legacy Fund. This would involve merging the Guild's pension into a multiemployer plan that will allow the Guild to increase future benefits. We have already begun looking for merger partners in order to speed this process along. PN Employees If the fund remains independent, our management of the Fund will be completely transparent; all investment and administration decisions, as well as the Fund's performance, will be shared with Guild leadership. What we are proposing is in line with most other companies, both in the media business and other businesses. Ask your friends and neighbors what their companies are doing. Remember, you will continue to be guaranteed your legacy pension benefit, the "severance" pension we already fund, and your current 401(k) plan. And, if we find a merger partner, the Guild could fund additional benefits to the legacy pension. Will this proposal cost everyone a little more? Perhaps. But it is critically important for everyone to understand how difficult the newspaper business has become. You can look all over the country for examples. We simply can no longer afford the very generous pay and benefits of a bygone era, when newspapers dominated the media. We would much prefer for everyone to share a little bit in the pain, so that we can spare perhaps dozens of our colleagues from losing their jobs altogether. There is a silver lining in this cloud. If we can break the downward spiral of this business, if we can save dozens of newsroom jobs, if we can improve the quality of our newspapers, if we can invest in marketing and product and equipment and technology, if we can grow circulation and thereby grow advertising, we can, in fact, win, and win big, together as a team. And that's my dream. I want these newspapers to be great, and I'm sorry that we must take such painful steps to achieve greatness. But to those of you who understand this vision and understand the need for these difficult decisions, you will understand that it is our only choice. I am fundamentally optimistic. I want to break the cycles of negative thinking, of "us vs. them." We are all in this together, and need to keep the best interests of this fine journalistic institution in the front of our minds. I want this organization to still be around, to still employ thousands of people, to still make a difference in our community, and to still be relevant for decades and decades to come. Let's work together to make this happen. December 8, 2006: Guild Outlook for Friday-Sunday FYI The Newspaper Guild negotiating committee is meeting today (Friday) and over the weekend to formulate, at the federal mediator's request, a response to the company on the issue of the pension. Please note there are two issues involved here. It is not merely the company's desire to freeze the pension, as most of you report. It is also the issue of the company's desire to take over sole administration and direction of the pension, which currently is jointly administered by three union representatives, three company representatives and one impartial chair. It is a carefully constructed and balanced system that has worked very well for everyone. Your reporting, whenever possible, should mention both issues. In his open letter yesterday, Brian Tierney said a change in the pension would "perhaps" cost "everyone a little more." There is no "perhaps." The freeze (meaning no more company contributions) would definitely cost members a great deal more. In explaining why he felt the company should solely direct the fund, he wrote, "The Guild has no incentive to maximize returns since we must fund any shortfalls." That is nonsense. The Guild's "incentive" is that our members benefit from a strong, healthy, wisely- and safely-invested fund. --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 8, 2006: Bulletin from Newspaper Guild to Members For Immediate release HANG IN THERE Federal Mediator Walter Bednarczyk said today that he would call back the Guild and the Company to face-to-face bargaining Monday to discuss pension issues. He strongly suggested that neither party take any action at this time. The Company wants to freeze the pension fund and take full control of our fund away from the joint board of trustees. The union plans to work with its experts through the weekend to come up with a counter proposal. (Translation: No work stoppage) --------------------------- The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. Direct questions or comments to voices@local-10.com December 6, 2006: 12/6 Newspaper Guild Update: Negotiations end for day with situation serious For Immediate release Contract talks between The Newspaper Guild and the company stalled today on the remaining major issue of the pension. Talks began at 12:30 p.m. and ended around 6 p.m. with no date and time set to resume. The following bulletin was sent out this evening to Newspaper Guild members: Bad Situation Today, the Company refused to move on its plan to freeze the pension fund. It wouldn't budge on its desire to take full control of our fund away from the joint board of trustees. The Company wants all that power as it, and it alone, seeks a multi-employer plan in which to place the frozen fund. The Guild negotiating team told the Company it would go into a multi-employer pension fund, but it would not relinquish its place in the decision making process. Under the Guild plan, the pension trustees -- composed of an equal number of representatives from the Company and the union -- would seek a suitable multi-employer pension fund to merge into. If the sides could not agree on a fund, they would go into arbitration. It is essential for both sides to be involved, to keep the process moving quickly and to protect OUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS. "This is a damn sad situation," said Guild President Henry J. Holcomb. "The Company's position threatens to undo all of the good work we have done and put us on strike." The Company also refused to make a wage proposal, even though it settled with the other unions last night. With that information, the Guild could possibly craft a solution to the Company's problem. Because this is the most serious of our strike issues, members should please take home their personal items from work and await instructions on other actions. The Guild's website -- http://www.local-10.com -- is being updated periodically with information on the status of negotiations. December 6, 2006: ACTION ALERT: AFSCME DC33 Local 1971 Rally on 12/7 in Support of Union Jobs HELP! AFSCME District Council 33 - Local 1971 is UNDER ATTACK! Local 1971 has lost over 50 members employed at the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC) and the Redevelopment Authority (RDA) due to the Street Administration's reorganization of the Housing Agencies in order to fund the Administration's pet Agency, the Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD). On Thursday, December 7, 2006, City Council is holding a Public Hearing in order to transfer funds and programs and this will allow them to hire the individuals of their choice and not necessarily the members of our Local, who have held these positions for years and are experienced in running these programs. They are UNION busting by forcing our members to take drastic wage cuts and jockey for EXEMPT positions. Please help us in our fight by joining in our March to City Hall starting at 8:30 AM at 1234 Market Street and our Silent Protest in City Hall - Room 400 when the ordinance is read for Public review. In Solidarity, December 6, 2006: ACTION ALERT: Phila. Fire Fighters' Union IAFF Local 22 to March on City Hall on 12/7 On Thursday, December 7, 2006, at 11:30 AM, Local 22 will march from their headquarters at 5th and Willow Streets to City Hall. They will be calling attention to the mayor's refusal to honor their Act 111 binding arbitration award. For over a year, Philadelphia's Firefighters and Paramedics have been working without a labor contract to help keep the City safe for you and your family. Throughout this period, the City has taken step after step to avoid honoring the Firefighters' and Paramedics' binding contract. The City has spent hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of dollars of YOUR MONEY to fight the Act 111 contract award that was lawfully decided by a panel of arbitrators. That Award provides for a process to address fire company closings ensuring that both Firefighters and Citizens have a say in this critical public safety issue. The Award also places a trained Paramedic on engine companies to speed Advanced Life Support care to victims of cardiac arrest. Programs like this can dramatically increase chances of survival for our citizens when time is of the essence. In fact, if the protections called for by the most recent Firefighter contract award are not implemented, a Philadelphian's chance of survival from cardiac arrest will be less than 4%! WE CAN DO BETTER! Come march with us and show your support. We will step off at 11:30 from 5th and Willow Streets and march over Market Street arriving at City Hall at 12:00. If you can't march with us, please join us on the NE corner of City Hall to show your support. For more information go to www.iaff22.org. Thank you! December 4, 2006: Rep. Cohen Supports Philadelphia Newspaper Guild A statement of support for the Philadelphia Newspaper Guild in its negotiations, from State Rep. Mark B. Cohen, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, along with the response from Brian Tierney, can be found at http://www.local-10.com. Working together, we can continue to pressure Tierney and his management team to safeguard both the seniority and the pensions as well as the general rights of Newspaper Guild members. State Rep. Mark Cohen Dem PA December 4, 2006: From The Newspaper Guild - Negotiations Update Tentative Agreement on Non-Economic Issues, After All-Day Session The Newspaper Guild negotiators reached a tentative agreement with the company on non-economic issues, after a day-long bargaining session that ended about 12:45 a.m. The session started at 12:45 p.m. Sunday. Local President Henry J. Holcomb said critical economic issues, including the pension, remain on the table. The company indicated it may not be able to meet with the Guild until Wednesday because it has to meet with other unions. Holcomb said he will press to meet with the company earlier. There is an agreement on the key seniority issue, which "basically preserves" seniority, said Holcomb, adding that he plans to call a membership meeting to explain some of the details. "The pension issue has not yet been discussed," he said, adding that health and welfare payments have yet to be explored. During Sunday's sessions, Daily News Editor Michael Days and Inquirer Editor Bill Marimow joined the talks for several periods. Union leadership will meet Monday to evaluate the agreement so far and to plan for the next session. December 1, 2006: ACTION ALERT: Immediate action requested to help Phila Newspaper Guild Attention Philadelphia area union leadership and members, Due to actions currently being considered by the new owners of the Philadelphia Daily News, Inquirer and Philly.com, literally hundreds of union members from the Philadelphia Newspaper Guild, who have worked so hard over the years to help create their publications' nationally acclaimed status and success, may soon be out of jobs. It has been rumored, but not confirmed, that non-union workers are being considered to replace many of them! HOW CAN YOU HELP? Please email your message of support for these hardworking employees to: voices@local-10.com and demand that the newspapers' owners bargain in good faith. For more facts on the situation please go to: www.phillyunions.com. November 30, 2006: Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO Holiday Reception Seasons Greetings President Pat Eiding Tuesday, December 5, 2006 Horizons Rooftop Ballroom November 30, 2006: HOLCOMB: NO NEWSPAPER STRIKE TONIGHT "We're not going to finish tonight," said Local President Henry Holcomb at 9:42 PM, during a break in negotiations. "We will keep talking as long as we are making progress, and we are." For that reason, a strike will not be called tonight. Negotiators for both sides will continue talking until the federal mediator sends them home for the night. They will return tomorrow to resume talks. This is not an "extension," Holcomb said. Even though the contract expires at midnight, it will remain in effect. "We will keep talking and keep making progress," Holcomb said, although major issues have not been resolved. Spokesman Stu Bykofsky November 27, 2006: Volunteer Writers Wanted PhillyUnions.com is seeking volunteer writers with an interest in covering issues, topics and editorials pertaining to our Philadelphia area union community. For more information or to apply, please email your contact information along with your qualifications and experience to info@phillyunions.com. November 27, 2006: Open Letter from The Newspaper Guild to the Community For Immediate Release A MATTER OF SURVIVAL The new owners of the Inquirer, Daily News are having an acute case of buyer's remorse. Philadelphia Media Holdings -- a group of local investors with no prior media ownership experience -- now realize it paid too much for the papers and Philly.com, outbidding its rivals. Sadly, the new owners now are targeting their own union employees -- and particularly the workers' previously negotiated pensions, job security and sick pay -- as the solution to their mistake. There is absolutely no justification for the company's behavior as it negotiates for the first time with The Newspaper Guild, the union that represents 900 workers including writers, editors, photographers, artists, clerks, auditors and ad salespeople. While we are dedicated to a fair, professional and frank collective bargaining process, and welcome the intervention of a Federal mediator, we also recognize a responsibility to our readers and the community to explain the key issues at the heart of this dispute. As should be obvious to the new owners, we are totally dedicated to keeping our region one of the leading newspaper and online journalism markets in America. This is why we quickly welcomed the new owners who professed a love for the highest standards of local, independent, hard-hitting journalism, and vowed to be a responsible employer-of-choice. In stirring speeches on the newsroom floor and interviews with out-of-town media, they said they were different from other owners: they would never put profits before people; they would work hard to sustain profitability through new means of revenue generation and clever reader incentives like front-page, peel-off coupons. Sounded good, maybe too good to be true. Still, we vowed to continue to do our share, meeting them more than halfway for the good of the papers, the community and all of our fellow workers. So what went wrong? In just a few short months, we now see spin trumping substance, efforts to demonize the workers as the turnaround master plan turns increasingly ugly, apparently aimed at gutting the Guild. While we hope it's all a well-orchestrated bargaining ploy, consider these recent developments:
What about health insurance and prescription drug benefit co-pays, the usual labor contract hot buttons? We already shoulder that expense and manage our own health and welfare fund. You see, like so many other workers here and across the country, we've made concessions in the past and know what it's like to be on the short end of givebacks and cutbacks. In this round of talks, we've made numerous work-rule concessions, and the company knows it, even though its spokespeople continue to claim otherwise. We're sharing this background because we know you care about the possible dilution, if not demise, of these newspapers. We are heartened that you believe, as do we, that the newspapers are an important part of our vibrant and diverse community. We were moved when a cross section of the region rallied for our survival when we were put up for sale. We cannot have a robust economy and evolve into a world-class community with a diverse array of jobs without world-class newspapers to keep us and the rest of the world informed about the region. Competitors -- including those in broadcast and cable TV news, and even some of our critics from the ranks of government and business -- will candidly acknowledge that our newspapers are crucial to the flow of objective, in-depth news and information in our region. There is a reason that local electronic journalism begins its day with producers reading our newspapers for the whole story to determine what is really the big story of the day, from healthcare to education, business and sports. We are not only first with the news, we're factual, and that is a tribute to the editorial staffs and a system of checks and balances you won't find in many other newsrooms, let alone living-room blogs. The result is news that you can trust to be accurate, whether it's the real story behind why your taxes are going up, your school children's test scores are going down, or your favorite sports team is on the verge of a title or collapse. We do our homework, present all sides of a story, and keep opinions on the opinion pages so you can make your own decisions. Isn't this what a democracy is all about? Our owners have made a mistake and now want us -- and you -- to pay for their blunder. Tell us, and them, what you think by emailing voices@local-10.com. Thanks for listening, and we'll keep you informed, as always. November 27, 2006: From The Newspaper Guild... IF They Were to Hire Scabs... If They Did It: Here's how Philadelphia Media Holdings would hire scabs Philadelphia Media Holdings, the company that cries poverty while demanding devastating cuts from Guild members, seems to be gearing up to spend a fortune on scabs to produce our papers and drive our trucks. The Philadelphia Weekly reported today that an ad seeking "replacement workers" (aka scabs) was recently posted on careerbuilder.com. The mystery company seeks scabs to come to an East Coast city to work as reporters, photographers, graphic artists, news assistants and truck drivers in the event of a strike. The Weekly was told that the potential strike would be in December. The Guild's contract expires Nov. 30. A Guild member responded to the ad and got a company calling itself Strom Engineering. Asking for more information about the jobs, he learned there is an expected strike in December. The Guild "job applicant" was told that the undisclosed company was a newspaper operation on the East Coast that "could be in Philly," but Strom declined to be specific. When the "job applicant" said he was interested in politics and would love to cover City Hall and government, but had no experience except for penning a few letters to the editor, he was told that may not be a problem. Send your resume along and we'll try and take care of you, he was told. When the caller said he had a couple friends looking for work too, including one who just got out of prison and was a great fighter, he was told to also have them send their resumes along, as there are no background checks. The company is also advertising for scabs to drive trucks, filling in for Teamsters drivers who may also be on strike. All you need is a Class B license, the caller was told. Drivers would be asked to operate "small trucks, a UPS-type truck." If they got the job, the company is willing to pay reporters and other editorial employees an hourly rate based on a minimum 60-hour work week, with no benefits. Doesn't this East Coast newspaper company know that you get what you pay for? "Bringing Home the News" with scab labor is not a new great era in journalism. Direct questions to voices@local-10.com November 27, 2006: Update: Major Union Project Seeks Final Zoning Change To update you on the progress of a previous story, tomorrow (November 28) is an important day in the progress of the proposed Bridgeman's View project, a project that is viewed by many as the cornerstone of the waterfront district that will create hundreds of union jobs in Philadelphia. The developer will appear before the Rules Committee of the Philadelphia City Council to seek zoning approval of the proposed and required parking garage next to the tower. The approval of the parking garage is vital to the construction of the tower. Although the tower itself has been approved for zoning and has previously gained union, political and community support, there has been a delay in the zoning approval so the developers and the planning commission, as well as Penn Praxis, could hold meetings to discuss this iconic project for Philadelphia. Unsurprisingly, the local developers, including union ironworkers themselves, have held these meetings and the outcome has been very positive and reassuring of the future of this world class tower that will help transform the Delaware Avenue waterfront. November 22, 2006: ACTION ALERT: SEIU Local 32BJ Rally on 11/20 to Support ScotlandYard Security Officers After a brief spell of optimism, THE FIGHT IS BACK ON between SEIU Local 32BJ and ScotlandYard Security Services. WHAT: Rally for Justice for Scotland Yard Security Officers WHERE: Thomas Paine Plaza, Municipal Services Building, 15th and JFK WHEN: Monday November 20, 12 PM FOR MORE INFO CALL: Jeff Hornstein, 267-250-6480 Will we tolerate ANTI-UNION BEHAVIOR in City Buildings? ScotlandYard Security Service provides security services at the Municipal Services Building, One Parkway, and City Hall. ScotlandYard officers make as little as $9.01 an hour for keeping our City's most important buildings safe and secure. These men and women have been trying to improve their working conditions and their lives by exercising their legal right to join a union. In response, Scotlandyard has made unlawful threats of reprisal for union support and unlawfully interrogated employees about their union activity. The Union has filed unfair labor practice charges against Scotlandyard with the National Labor Relations Board. RALLY FOR JUSTICE *** PLEASE CALL ME IF YOU ARE ABLE TO ATTEND, AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING AT THE RALLY *** In solidarity, November 20, 2006: A Perspective on John Dougherty PhillyUnions.Com Presents "Perspectives" On Union Leaders in Our Community Because the mainstream media does not always represent the best interests of our labor leaders, issues, standards, conditions or rights, PhillyUnions.com is presenting a new periodic editorial feature that provides a new perspective on some of the most high profile and influential labor leaders throughout Philadelphia and vicinity. To launch our inaugural "Perspectives" editorial we have chosen to feature John Dougherty, Business Manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #98 and potential candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia. ----------------------------- A Perspective on John J. Dougherty: A son of Philadelphia who grew up in a hard-scrabble, working class neighborhood in South Philly, a place he still calls home today. As "Doc" likes to say, "The best way to never forget where you came from is to never leave." An Irish Catholic, South Philly row home kid from a respected family with a deep history in Philadelphia politics. A 1978 graduate of Saint Joe's Prep, John married his high school sweetheart, his beautiful wife, Ceilie, with whom he has raised two wonderful daughters. After he graduated from the apprentice training program of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, John's natural leadership skills began to emerge. In 1993, at the age of 32, John Dougherty was elected Business Manager of IBEW Local 98, the youngest person ever to be elected to Local 98's highest position. His business savvy and inherent political skills brought Local 98 back from the brink of bankruptcy to its current status as one of our city's most active union locals. The commitment John has made to our Philadelphia area union community and working men and women across our great city is evident every day by the way he treats his own members as well as associates from other locals and the citizens of Philadelphia. His generosity in helping others is tireless and is also evident by his many charitable endeavors. In the words of Ironworkers Local #405 Business Representative Albert Fratali: "Johnny Doc has helped to lead our union community to the forefront of the Philadelphia business and political communities. There's not a union member or family in the city who has not been directly or indirectly affected in a positive way by his influence. Often in the face of staunch anti-union sentiment, John has forged ahead to continue his quest to keep Philadelphia and vicinity the strongest union region in the country while at the same time giving others less fortunate a better life. But you don't read that in the papers every day do you? He truly is every working man and woman's friend and that often threatens the powers that be." Government and Civic Appointments (Current and Previous):
November 14, 2006: Union Appreciation Night With the Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are extending a discount to the men and women of the Philadelphia Unions. Come down to Union Appreciation Night at the Wachovia Center when the Philadelphia Flyers face off against Tampa Bay on January 30, 2007. Each Union member will receive $7 off each ticket. For more information or to purchase tickets please contact Chris Engart at 215-218-7537 or cengart@comcast-spectacor.com. November 8, 2006: Holidays Trips and Union-Made Gifts from PhillyUnions.com PhillyUnions.com and the Pro-Union Preferred Partners Program is pleased to bring you the following great offers for union members and families: * Holiday Trips to Vegas From Ron DePietro, The Riviera Hotel and Casino Las Vegas Want to be treated as a high roller? Ron DePietro, special consultant for the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas can make it happen. Providing premier casino packages including hotel and casino accommodations in Las Vegas exclusively for Philadelphia area union members, retirees and families. If you are interested, contact Ron DePietro at: (856) 858-4141 or (866) 469-6800 or email: casino346@aol.com to inquire about special packages, group rates and promotions. The Riviera is a UNION Hotel and Casino! Web: http://www.rivierahotel.com ------------------------------------------ * Union-Made Gifts From Belinda Lader, VP Product Sales, Phillyunions.com It's not too late to order Union Made/USA Made holiday gifts, 2007 calendars and planners through Belinda Lader of PhillyUnions.com! Contact me at blader@geiger.com or call 610-517-6793 for ideas that fit any budget. The nation's largest privately held promotional products distributor, one of the best known and most respected companies in the industry. Geiger is family-owned and family-oriented, yet forward thinking. Geiger produces calendars, planners, and The Farmers' Almanac using the latest technology and tools. Union/USA made promotional products with the union bug imprinted are supplied by the manufacturers we represent. Products include sportswear, gifts, promotional office supplies, buttons, tee shirts, bags, work clothing, and more! Phone: 610-517-6793 November 8, 2006: UPDATED 11/8: SEIU 32BJ Rally Thursday 11/9 is CANCELLED Due to progress in talks with ScotlandYard Security Services regarding the company's employees at the City's TriPlex buildings, Local 32BJ has agreed to cancel tomorrow's planned noontime rally at the Municipal Services Building. Apologies for the short notice. We thank you for your support! *** OF COURSE, IF SCOTLANDYARD RENEGES ON ITS PROMISE, WE WILL BE IN TOUCH *** November 1, 2006: Drexel University's Free Stop Smoking Program for Men Men Working Together to QUIT! Upcoming Program Information Sessions: Learn about the program with no obligation - November 9, 2006 at 5:30 PM - December 14, 2006 at 12:00 PM Convenient Center City location! Call 215-762-8120 for more information or to register. About the Program: When men work together they get things done. Our program empowers men by creating a sense of community, where men learn the skills necessary to quit smoking and gain opportunities to mentor other men. Drexel University Stop Smoking Program for Men offers free stop smoking programs in Center City or we travel throughout Philadelphia County to offer programs onsite. The program is about six to seven weeks in duration and each week is about an hour to an hour and a half long, which includes:
Free nicotine replacement therapy, which is the patch, gum or lozenge, to everyone that enrolls in the program. Professional and Community Educational presentations on the health risks and costs of smoking and the impact of secondhand smoke to the individual and those around him/her. In addition to the men's program we also have programs for women and pregnant women. Call 215-762-8120 for more information or to register. This program is sponsored by Drexel University's Office of Government and Community Relations. Funding provided by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. November 1, 2006: Monthly PUdotcom B2B Event - Union Members also invited PhillyUnions.com Pro-Union Preferred Partners, local business leaders and professionals, and area union members are invited to attend our next monthly business to business networking event on Wednesday, November 15. These monthly events provide an outstanding opportunity for local union and pro-union businesses and professionals to network, exchange referrals, find new clients, learn about opportunities to streamline and improve your business, and do better business with the Philadelphia area union community. For businesses and professionals who are not currently Pro-Union Preferred Partners, you'll learn about the Philadelphia Council's authorized screening, certification and marketing program designed to connect you with our area union community. Union members and leaders are also invited and encouraged to attend and meet some of our outstanding pro-union local businesses and Preferred Partners. This month's honored guest speaker will be Joseph J. Dougherty Sr., Business Manager of Ironworkers Local Union 401. IMPORTANT: Businesses and professionals interested in participating in the excellent B2B networking portion of this event MUST register or you will not be able to participate, including Preferred Partners. The event is FREE of charge for our Pro-Union Preferred Partners (you'll enter your special Partners code when registering to get your free admission). Cost is $35 for businesses and professionals who are not currently Preferred Partners. Event is FREE for union members to attend. Location: Ironworkers Local Union 401 Bridgeman's Hall 11600 Norcom Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19154 Date: Wednesday, November 15 from 6 PM - 8 PM Theme: Doing better business with Philadelphia area unions Sponsors: Tom Wines of 5minutepitch.com and Jim Stevenson of Northeast Lincoln Mercury Businesses and Professionals register here: (Preferred Partners note -- When you register, you'll need to log into your 5minutepitch.com account or create a new account. This is NOT the same as your PhillyUnions.com Networking Tools account. Your PUdotcom login info will NOT work on 5minutepitch.com. Click the link to create a new account and put in a username and password of your choice.) November 1, 2006: Historical Black Colleges and Universities Mini Expo on Fri. 11/10 Columbia North Branch YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity Sponsors the Historical Black Colleges and Universities Mini Expo Friday, November 10, 2006 11:00 AM -- 2:00 PM We're calling 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students, (Chaperones, Clergy, Counselors, College Prep Professionals, Parents, Family and Friends) to the College Fair. ADMISSION FREE This is a gift to our universities and communities from the Columbia North Branch of the YMCA and our HBCU Alumni. RSVP 678-463-3944 or email vlrable@aol.com with contact name, organization, telephone numbers, time of arrival, departure & total # of people. We will call to confirm your RSVP. ------------------ Philadelphia International Art Expo Nov. 10, 11 & 12, 2006 Take the students to October Gallery's 21st Annual Philadelphia International Art Expo on Friday, November 10. 2006 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Conversations & Interviews with the Artist 10:00 AM - 12 noon Liacouras Center, Temple University Meet actor/artist Billy Dee Williams & Receive a Free Print ADMISSION FREE RSVP 215-629-3939 x 17 November 1, 2006: Dash for Democracy On November 4, 2006, three days before one of the most important elections in our nation's history, Philadelphia's premier non-partisan and nonprofit government watchdog organization, The Committee of Seventy (http://www.seventy.org/), is giving your voice legs - literally. The Philadelphia AFL-CIO is proud to sponsor Seventy's inaugural Dash for Democracy™ 5K Run and Walk (http://www.dashfordemocracy.org/) that will turn Independence Mall into one gigantic platform for everyone to "run" or walk for the issues, passions and beliefs that are most important to them. We invite you to participate in the Dash by wearing your union-made shirts! Our very own Pat Eiding is on the Committee of Seventy's board so if you enter "Eiding" as your coupon code when you sign-up online at http://www.dashfordemocracy.org/ you will receive $3 off your registration. If you'd like to register a team of four, you can enter "Eidingteam" and you will receive $20 off. To register by phone, please call Anne Mahlum at 215-557-3600 ext. 203. November 1, 2006: Thank You from Phila AFL-CIO regarding Newspaper Guild Rally The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO extends a heartfelt Thank You to all our union brothers, sisters, and friends of organized labor that came out this Monday Oct. 30 in strong support of the workers of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. In Solidarity, Patrick Eiding October 24, 2006: "Buy-Union" Store Opens for Philadelphia area union community! PhillyUnions.com is excited to announce the launch of the PhillyUnionStore.com. It is a groundbreaking online store where our Philadelphia area union members can conveniently purchase a great variety of top quality union made/American made products and promotional items including sports wear and apparel items, gift packages, promotional office products, travel and leisure items, and work clothing items at premium discount prices. It is also a great effort to support our fine union manufacturers who have done such a fantastic job providing these quality products. We are also happy to announce the hiring of Belinda Lader as our VP of Product Sales for the PhillyUnionStore.com. Belinda will be contacting all area unions to offer you the best service, products and prices for your members. For additional information, to browse the store selections and/or to make a purchase visit: http://phillyunionstore.com. We look forward to speaking with all of our area union leaders soon about placing an order and providing the Philadelphia area union community another quality product and service! Sincerely, Joe Dougherty October 24, 2006: Philadelphia Union Official Seeks Public Office Gloucester County, NJ Residents Vote Al Frattali for Washington Township Council Al Frattali, Business Manager of Ironworkers Local #405, is running for Washington Township (NJ) Council. A longtime member of Ironworkers Local #405, he is a leader in the community. Al is president of the UNICO Philadelphia Chapter and volunteers as a karate teacher for special needs children. He and his wife Sandy have two children. Al and his running mates seek to enforce stricter ethical standards to ensure government accountability, restore civility to Township Government, and provide quality, dependable Township services. On Tuesday, November 7, 2006, be sure to get out and vote in Gloucester County for Al Frattali, a longtime union member and proven leader. October 24, 2006: Election Day Volunteers Needed Non-Partisan Get Out the Vote Activity -- Voter Protection Too much is at stake on November 7th. Help us make sure EVERYONE who can vote does! What skills are we seeking? * OFFICE WORKERS: Answer phone calls from voters; Provide non-partisan voting information; Document allegations of misconduct at polling sites. * FIELD STAFF: Visit polling sites to provide information to election officials; Settling minor disputes; Investigating reports of Election Code and voting rights violations. WHEN: Tuesday, November 7th WHERE: Committee of Seventy Headquarters We need volunteers for any block of time you can join us for this important work. Training will be provided. For more information or to sign up call Janet Ryder -- 215.665.9800 October 5, 2006: MDA's Muscle Team Challenge: Rally for Research on 11/4 Join the Muscle Team Challenge™: Rally for Research! WHERE: Philadelphia's Memorial Hall and Fairmount Park WHEN: November 4, 2006 The Muscle Team Challenge™: Rally for Research will be an exciting, festive day filled with fun and entertainment in Philadelphia, PA. Participants are encouraged to build "Muscle Teams," and walk in honor of those living with neuromuscular diseases. Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 22, PhillyUnions.com, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) are inviting families, businesses, and individuals across the region to challenge themselves to a full marathon walk (26.2 miles), a half marathon walk (13.1 miles), or a 5K family fun walk (3.1 miles). Those who do not wish to walk are invited to become tailgaters, fundraise, and enjoy the festivities that will continue throughout the day! At Memorial Hall, the site of the start and finish lines, local bands and performers will entertain spectators. Participants must raise a minimum of $130 (equal to two minutes of research) for MDA. Children ages 5-12 must raise $65 (equal to one minute of research) for MDA. Through MDA, participants will have the option to earmark their fundraising dollars towards research for the neuromuscular disease of their choice! Funds raised for MDA through the Muscle Team Challenge™: Rally for Research will be used for research, summer camp, clinical support, and services for thousands of individuals living with neuromuscular diseases in the Greater Philadelphia region. Call Meghan Callen or Megan Halferty at MDA (215.692.1781) for additional fundraising and event information. Visit http://www.muscleteamchallenge.org to start your own Union Team or to register individually. October 5, 2006: 14th Annual Bogus Male Beauty Contest on 10/24 to Benefit Officers and Families in Need Benefits Officers & Families in Need Sponsored by: FOP Lodge 76 WHEN: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 WHERE: Coastline Restaurant Open Bar 6 PM - 8 PM / Buffet / DJ Entertainment Tickets -- $10.00 Donation 2006 Contestants: Ptl. Steve Cittadini -- Lumberton Police For tickets contact any contestant or call FOP Lodge 76 President Brian Cranmer 609-820-4753. October 5, 2006: Local Boxing Event on 10/14 Caters to Union Community and Benefits Veterans Charity Former Heavyweight Champion "Terrible" Tim Witherspoon, in association with Fingerspoon Promotions, presents REDEMPTION. In a night that is sure to be one of the best nights in Philadelphia Boxing, Undefeated Chazz Witherspoon 13 - 0 (7KOs) will attempt to keep his streak going under the lights of the National Guard Armory in NE Philadelphia. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides critically needed services to our region's (Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, Delaware) homeless, unemployed, disabled and less fortunate Veterans. For details or to purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.fingerspoon.com/events.htm or view the Press Release (.PDF file) here: http://phillyunions.com/witherspoon.pdf October 5, 2006: AIDS Walk Philly on 10/15 Sunday, October 15, 2006 Join us for AIDS Walk Philly! It's not too late! You can still make a difference in the lives of the thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Philadelphia region. This year we solemnly mark the 25th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic. And as we have done every year since 1987, our community will join together in raising funds to fight this disease by participating in the 20th Annual AIDS Walk Philly on Sunday, October 15. Please join us this year for Philadelphia's largest HIV/AIDS public awareness and fundraising event. The money raised through AIDS Walk Philly goes to fund over thirty area HIV/AIDS organizations that provide much-needed care to the over 30,000 people living with HIV in the Philadelphia region. Don't delay! Walk, run, volunteer, or donate. Register today for AIDS Walk Philly by visiting http://www.aidswalkphilly.org or call us at 215-731-WALK. Until there's a cure, we'll keep walking. We hope you'll join us. October 5, 2006: Beef & Beer to Benefit Fallen Police Office Gennaro Pellegrini Jr. Scholarship Fund on 10/7 On Saturday, October 7, 2006, we will be having a Beef & Beer Benefit in memory of our fallen brother, Gennaro Pellegrini Jr., Police Officer, Soldier, Pro Boxer, and friend. Gennaro "Jerry" Pellegrini was a Phila. Police Officer assigned to the 26th District as my partner and a Reservist in the PA National Guard. He was deployed to Iraq and soon due to return home when he was killed on Aug. 9, 2005 in an ambush bombing by the enemy. He died a Hometown HERO, to all of us. Shortly after his death, his family and the Phila. Police Dept. started a scholarship fund in his name to continue Jerry's tradition of helping neighborhood children. With the generous contributions of many businesses and residents from the tri-county area, the 1st Annual Beef & Beer on October 28, 2005 gave the fund a great start. The purpose of this letter is to ask you to open your hearts again. Any product donation that you can offer for a great raffle prize would be greatly appreciated to ensure the success of this year's Beef & Beer, enabling The Pellegrini Scholarship Fund to continue financially helping the needy children and families in the neighborhoods where Jerry grew up, lived, and worked. Thank you for your time and consideration. Please contact any of the following numbers for donation pick-ups, tickets to this year's event, or any other questions. Police Officer Michelle Winkis 215-776-2216 26th District Captain's Office 215-686-3261 EVENT DATE: Saturday October 7, 2006 LOCATION: Fraternal Order of Police TIME: 7 PM - 11 PM All proceeds will benefit the Gennaro Pellegrini Jr. Scholarship Fund For Tickets and Info: http://www.pellegrinischolarshipfund.com/wst_page3.html 26th District Captain's Office: 215-686-3260 October 3, 2006: ACTION ALERT: Rally Today 10/3 - Justice for Arkema Workers! Take a Stand for Fairness! For more than a month, over 40 brave Birdsboro men and women, members of Teamsters Local 429, Reading, PA, have been on strike against a giant French-owned, multi-national corporation -- Arkema. Fed up with a lack of respect and concession demands from the company, these workers took to the picket line to protest Arkema's attempts to reduce their pay, change family health care protection and alter their retirement benefits. These loyal, hard-working men and women, your union brothers and sisters, are not asking for much. They just want the same rights and fairness that you would want on your job. They are asking for your help and support. Join them in demanding that Arkema live up to its corporate social responsibility, come back to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair agreement. Is this too much to ask? Rally for Justice! WHEN: Tuesday, October 3, 2006 (TODAY) WHERE: Arkema Corporate HQ Stand Up for Pennsylvania Working Families! October 2, 2006: ** CANCELLED ** Volunteers Needed TONIGHT 10/2 to Campaign for Bob Casey Please note: In light of today's tragic events in Lancaster County, PA, the following event scheduled for this evening has been cancelled. The Dezzi Group joins PhillyUnions.com in extending our sincere condolences and best wishes to the families involved and the entire Lancaster County community. The Dezzi Group is looking for volunteers to campaign with Ed Rendell and Bob Casey tonite before the Eagles Game. Volunteers should come to 11th and Pattison at 7 PM where they will be given signs and asked to help greet people entering the stadium. Any questions please call Eleanor Dezzi at (215) 483-4863. Thank you. September 29, 2006: Upcoming VOAD and Citizen Corps Training Please contact Jessie Helwig, VOAD Training Coordinator @ 215-405-8523 or helwigj@redcross-philly.org to register for a course. You must be registered in advance to attend. Note that the following is a summary of the dates and classes available. For full details and information please download the full schedule here: http://phillyunions.com/2006RevisedVOADTrainingSchedule2.pdf (PDF document) OR http://phillyunions.com/2006RevisedVOADTrainingSchedule2.doc (Word document) Saturday September 30: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Saturday October 14: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Saturday, October 21: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Saturday, October 28: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Tuesday, November 14: 5:30 PM - 9 PM & Thursday, November 16: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM MARK YOUR CALENDERS! REGION-WIDE EVENT! September 29, 2006: Comey Institute Classes In participation with the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, the Comey Institute of St. Joseph's University will be offering a fall line-up of labor education classes. The classes offered range from a Labor law survey class regarding the history and development of labor law and centered around issues like organizing, recognition and bargaining; to specific issue classes like grievance handling and workers compensation. For the technology minded, the Comey Institute also offers an introduction to Internet Communications to help members learn to harness the power of online communications most effectively. Courses begin October 2 for a run of 8 weeks on Mondays and Wednesdays and the registration fee is $60. For more information on the classes being offered and how to enroll contact Janet Ryder at 215.665.9800 or download the flyer and registration form here: http://phillyunions.com/2006ComeyInstitute-FallCourses.pdf (PDF document) ORhttp://phillyunions.com/2006ComeyInstitute-FallCourses.doc (Word document) September 29, 2006: Labor Day at the Phila. Zoo on 10/21 Enjoy Labor Day for a second time by going wild with your family at the Philadelphia Zoo for only $11 a ticket! All AFL-CIO members and their families are invited to explore the new $20 million dollar Bank of America Big Cat Falls exhibit on Saturday, October 21. You'll come face to face with 12 endangered big cats. While you're here, see nearly 1,300 rare and exotic animals from around the world including elephants, polar bears, reptiles and magnificent birds on 42 acres of picturesque Victorian gardens. Simply log on to www.philadelphiazoo.org and enter your promotional code "AFLCIO" to purchase an Adult or Child ticket for only $11 each! That's a savings of $5.95 for adults and $2.95 for kids. Discount tickets are valid the day of event only and will not be available at the Zoo, so make sure you log on today. The Rain Date for this event will be Sunday, October 22. For more information, call 215-665-9800 or view the flyer here: http://phillyunions.com/2006LaborDayattheZoo.pdf September 29, 2006: Electronic Services/General Business to Business Networking Event this Wed. 10/4 This Wednesday, 10/4/06, PhillyUnions.com Preferred Partner Mark Morgan of FM Digital Service Corporation (http://www.fm-digital.com) Sponsors an Electronic Services/General Business to Business Networking Event (Free Event for all Pro-Union Preferred Partners, $35 if not a Partner). |