The United Media Guild has reached a tentative agreement with the Post-Dispatch on a new three-year contract via expedited bargaining. We will vote on the contract via an email process on Dec. 6.
The bargaining team strongly recommends passage.
We will hold a Zoom call on Monday, Nov. 22 at 6:30 p.m. to answer questions. We will send an email blast with a link to that call. Email Jeff Gordon at jgordon@unitedmediaguild.org if you don’t get that email by Monday morning or if you have a question you need answered.
OVERVIEW OF THE AGREEMENT
The contract will create a new top step in each pay scale with an increase of 3 percent for 2022, 3 percent for 2023 and 2 percent for 2024 over the current top of scale.
For salespersons working on base-plus-commission, their base pay will increase 3 percent in 2022, 3 percent in 2023 and 2 percent in 2024.
The company will make a one-time 401 K contribution of $250 for each member on October of 2022. Otherwise the company’s 401 K contribution will remain at $75 per month.
The company will continue covering the cost of parking and the shuttle service at the downtown office. That cost coverage expired with the previous contract.
Interns will be allowed to work up to 6 months, but their pay will increase to $15 per hour.
There will be no increases in medical insurance premiums or out-of-pocket costs in 2022.
The contract will include the language on working remotely during the pandemic:
“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the duration of the St. Louis City Department of Health/Health Commissioner’s mask mandate and continuing through its extensions, if any, but not to exceed July 4, 2022, the Company will allow Guild members the option to work remotely if the performance of their job functions allows such work and the necessary equipment is already available.
“Upon expiration of such mask mandate, but no later than July 5, 2022, Guild members may be allowed to work remotely at the discretion of Management. No decision by the Company on schedule flexibility will be made in an arbitrary or capricious manner. Guild members may appeal management’s decision to the Director of Human Resources & Labor, who will inform the Guild of any such appeal.”
THE NEW TOP SCALE STEPS
Our members in the pay scales who haven’t reached their top step will get annual increases until they get there. But the vast majority of our members in the pay scales have reached the top step of their scale — so their pay has become stagnant.
In our previous three-year contract, the pay scales were increased 2 percent, 0 percent and 2 percent across all of the steps.
To gain the biggest benefit for the most members this time around, we sought a new, higher step to each pay scale while leaving the other steps as they are. (Most of our members outside of base-plus- commission sales are in the A or D scale).
The bottom line result would be:
- The majority of our members in the scales would move up to the new top scale and get a raise in each contract year.
- Members below top scale would get annual step pay increases on the anniversary date of their hire while progressing toward the higher top scale. Their long-term earning potential would increase.
Here is what the top-step increases look like:
Top of A Scale is currently is $1,296.96 per week at Step 8.
- Jan. 3, 2022: New Step 9 is $1,335.13
- Jan. 2, 2023: New Step 9 is $1,375.20
- Jan. 1, 2024: New Step 9 is $1,402.70
Top of B Scale is currently $983.86 at Step 6
- Jan. 3, 2022: New Step 7 is $1,013.38
- Jan. 2, 2023: New Step 7 is $1,048.78
- Jan. 1, 2024: New Step 7 is $1,064.65
Top of C Scale is currently $937.18 at Step 5
- Jan. 3, 2022: New Step 6 is $965.30
- Jan. 2, 2023: New Step 6 is $994.26
- Jan. 1, 2024: New Step 6 is $1,014.15
Top of D Scale is currently $797.06 at Step 5
- Jan. 3, 2022: New Step 6 is $820.97
- Jan. 2, 2023: New Step 6 is $845.60
- Jan. 1, 2024: New Step 6 is $862.51