Guild Officials OK Union-Tribune Offer

Calling it the best the San Diego Newspaper Guild is going to get, guild officials voted Thursday to approve a tentative agreement fashioned by a state mediator in a bitter labor dispute with the Union-Tribune Publishing Co.

The guild’s bargaining committee voted to recommend mediator David Hart’s proposal for a two-year contract to the membership, despite language that could greatly weaken the newspaper union as an effective bargaining unit. The guild represents about 1,100 employees.

“This contract is pitiful. It’s pathetic,” said guild president Ed Jahn during the membership meeting held at the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, Local 135 hall.

But, minutes later, Jim Griffin, a Washington-based representative of the International Newspaper Guild, said he and other bargaining committee members reluctantly approved the agreement.

“We recommend this settlement proposal because this is the best you’re going to get,” Griffin told the membership.

Management was quick to endorse the proposal, labeling it “a fair compromise.” Guild members are scheduled to vote on the proposal April 1.

“Neither side achieved all goals, but we believe the compromise is fair, and we in particular look forward to granting new contract pay increases to our employees at the earliest possible moment,” said Herbert Klein, editor-in-chief of Copley Newspapers.

Under terms of the proposal, the guild would agree to a modified union shop in which present guild members and future employees would be allowed to choose whether they want to belong to the newspaper union or not. The bargaining unit also agreed to drop its demand for automatic dues deduction. The old contract, which expired in June, 1988, required the company to deduct monthly dues from guild members and non-members. Non-members paid dues because they were also covered by the contract and enjoyed the benefits negotiated by the guild.

The main stumbling blocks throughout the negotiations included the guild’s future, wages, the contract’s length, and a company demand that circulation district managers use their own vehicles. The proposed agreement features some compromises on those issues.

Management at first had insisted on a one-year contract but agreed to a two-year settlement. Typically, contracts in the industry are for three years and retroactive pay is a common feature of most settlements.

The proposed agreement calls for a 10% pay increase for the first 12 months of the contract and 3% for the second 12 months, with no back pay. Top minimum pay for reporters and other employees represented by the guild at the Union-Tribune now is $750 a week. Employees got their last pay raise in December, 1987.

However, health insurance payments would come out of the first-year pay raise. Union-Tribune employees have been paying $81 a month out of their own pockets in increased health insurance costs since last April. Some employees are now paying more than $200 monthly for some health plans.

The agreement would also require circulation district managers to begin using their personal vehicles by Jan. 1, 1991. Current managers would be given an option of receiving $300 each month for the first 12 months of the contract, or a lump sum of $2,500 plus $91.66 monthly for the first 12 months to cover transportation costs or purchase of a vehicle. Mangers hired after the signing of the agreement would not be eligible for these benefits.

Another feature of the agreement also requires the guild to drop a lawsuit against the company over dues deduction and all unfair labor practice complaints filed against the Union-Tribune with the National Labor Relations Board. The only exception would be a complaint filed over the firing of a circulation department employee, whose dismissal was ruled illegal by the NLRB. The company would also drop complaints it has filed with the NLRB.