Thorny Issue of Temps and Part-timers Solved

By James T. Madore
Editor-in-Chief

Buffalo News and Guild negotiators reached a tentative agreement late last month on the use of part-time and temporary workers.

The agreement clarifies the circumstances under which the newspaper may use part-timers instead of full-time personnel. It also requires that temporary employees receive benefits, if their tenure goes beyond six months.

Guild negotiators described the agreement as an important step forward, given the News' initial calls for the unrestricted use of part-time and temporary workers.

"The language we have negotiated will make sure that full-time jobs aren't fragmented" by the use of part-timers and temps, said Sina Williams, local president.

"Our concern was that full-time positions would be split between two part-timers, leading to an overall reduction in the size of the full-time staff," she said.

The News eliminated 59 full-time jobs over the last year, according to data the company provided Business First. The weekly was told the paper's full-time work force now totals 916, down from 975 in 1995.

Marian Needham, the Guild's chief negotiator, said she hopes the agreement on part-time and temporary personnel will spur The News to address the serious issue of understaffing and workplace stress.

"Having clear guidelines on the use of part-timers may give The News the impetus to fill some positions and address staffing needs," she said.

Under the agreement, The News only may use part-time help when the work being done does not constitute a full-time position, or to remedy peak periods of work activity that do not total a full work week.

Part-timers also may be used where two or more areas of expertise cannot be found in a single individual, and where insufficient work exists in a single area of expertise to keep an employee occupied full time.

Temps may work for six months instead of the current four. The News has the option to extend the temporary period, but then must pay the affected employee all benefits (except pension) from the date of hire. This is a change from the old contract, which allowed a total of eight months temporary employment, with no benefits, Needham said.

In addition, The News and Guild have agreed that all job openings will be posted a week before they are permanently filled, clarified what grievances can go to arbitration and established a procedure whereby the union can ensure that the company meets all obligations to employees who work from home.

Both sides continue to discuss the number of credits Guild members will receive to purchase medical insurance. In the meantime, members will have the same number of credits they received last year to use in signing up for Newsflex on Nov. 6-7.

The Guild and News have scheduled seven days of bargaining in November so far. Meanwhile, the newspaper also has begun contract negotiations with six other unions.

Phil Fairbanks, coordinator of the workplace strategies committee, reported that leafleting of public events will continue, along with a joint workplace action involving the Council of Newspaper Unions. The Guild also plans to handout flyers at events frequented by News executives and the area's top business leaders, he said.

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