Final Guild Gathering
Opens Door to the Future

Six members of the Buffalo Newspaper Guild attended the last convention of The Newspaper Guild in June in San Juan, PR. At the end of that convention, the 28,000 member independent newspaper workers’ union adjourned to move into its future as a sector of the 600,000 member Communications Workers of America.

Much was accomplished during that week-long meeting:

• Guild president Linda Foley and secretary/treasurer Bernie Lunzer were elected by acclaim to continue their service in the top-two posts of The Newspaper Guild sector of CWA.
• A contested election developed for seats on the Sector Executive Council (formerly the International Executive Board). Members will vote later this year to elected at-large vice presidents and the regional vice president from the Great Lakes area.
• Constitutional and financial changes required by the merger were adopted.
• Convention delegates overturned a recommendation from the Sector Executive Council calling for a gradual increase in weekly strike benefits, calling instead for an immediate increase to $200 per week for any local that is on strike longer than 26 weeks.
• Delegates also heard numerous reports from the battle front in Detroit - including the momentous news delivered on the last day of the convention that the National Labor Relations Board had ruled that the strike was based on unfair labor practices. This ruling, termed a “near-total victory” by international counsel, should allow the strikers to return to their jobs, as they had offered to do in February.

Members from the Buffalo local served on several convention committees: finance, constitution, organizing, health and safety, and mobilizing. Below, some of the conventioneers share their thoughts on their experiences participating in the development of Guild policy, and the application of its governance and ideology.