The past year has been productive for the United Media Guild at the bargaining table. We gained first contracts at the Southern Illinoisan and for the “Fight for 15” fast food organizers employed nationally by SEIU.
Since last summer we also bargained new contracts at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, KSDK-TV, Jobs with Justice and the St. Louis Labor Tribune. We are in the process of bargaining new contracts the Peoria Journal Star, the Pekin Daily Times, Truthout and the St. Louis Review.
Also, we will bargain wages and medical insurance for 2020 at the State Journal-Register and Rockford Register Star through a re-opener in The NewsGuild’s global economic agreement with GateHouse Media.
Here are some highlights:
Post-Dispatch: Our members got a three-year contract with 2 percent increases to the wage scale in 2019 and 2021. The company also reduced the number of seniority “skips” for the purpose of layoffs and agreed to provide free parking for our members after the sale of the Post-Dispatch building.
KSDK-TV: Our members got a three-year contract with a signing bonus and language that gives them the same bonuses and additional paid time off the company gives non-represented employees.
Jobs with Justice: Our members got a three-year contract that included fully-paid medical insurance for members and their family, raises averaging 10 percent over the term of the agreement and about a 3 percent increase in the 401K contribution and match.
Labor Tribune: Our members received a signing bonus and retained key job protections. They gained strong successor language in the face of a potential sale.
Southern Illinoisan: Our members got a two-year contract that established salary minimums and got raises ranging from 2 percent to 12 percent. They gained seniority protections in the case of layoffs, a grievance and arbitration process and a labor/management committee to address non-economic workplace issues.
Fight for 15: Our members got a three year agreement includes a signing bonus, a $48,000 minimum starting salary, raises, a 401K contribution of 7 percent of base pay and a 401K match of up to 3 percent. Our members also gained a progressive discipline system and an extremely valuable grievance and arbitration process.