Destro Urges Membership
Participation for Guild's Success

by Tina M. Destro
BNG President-Elect

I would like to say to all of our members how privileged I feel to serve the Guild as its president.

I look forward to developing leadership and direction for our members along with Phil Fairbanks, our vice president, Carol Ann Burke, our secretary, and Bob Snyder our treasurer. This team will take office Jan 1.

The Guild is also fortunate to have terrific leaders serving in positions of committee chairmanships, on the Executive Committee, and as representatives for the various departments. I know that we will all work well together in giving our members the best representation possible and in building and mobilizing our union.

Probably one of the most important steps our local has taken in the last few months is approving the formation of a Strategic Planning Committee, headed by Bob McCarthy from editorial, to look at all aspects of the Guild including its structure and outlook for the future. This committee will represent the full spectrum of our membership, procuring involvement and input for this most important process.

My hopes are to see a union whose members understand the importance each of them play in its strength. Each member should understand that he/she has a strong voice in this process and it's each of those voices that count in making our unit a whole. The union is each one of us. It is not a separate entity out there somewhere, it's not just the officers or the committee heads, it's all of us together. Those of us who take on positions of leadership are here to guide and implement the directives that the members set forth.

This past year, The Newspaper Guild merged and became a sector of Communications Workers of America. The strategic planning process that we have set forth is one that many TNG locals around the country are undertaking to determine how TNG can make the most of our new found strength; how we can combine the best of both of these unions for an exciting and productive future and future successes at the bargaining table that can only be achieved through unity and strength.

Bob McCarthy said at our last local meeting that one of the first steps he plans to take with the planning committee is to survey all of the members to gain their thoughts on this process. I strongly urge all of you to participate in this survey; give it a great deal of thought and be as straightforward and honest as you possibly can. This will provide Bob and his committee with the ideas that they need to proceed.

I see a future with a membership that is more educated as to what union membership means. Because of that we will be more mobilized and committed to activism, each in his or her own right. Please also know that those of us who have taken on leadership roles take our responsibility seriously. Your futures are as important to us individually as our own.

We as leaders will keep you posted and involved in this process. Talk to your union representatives; ask questions; come to meetings when you can and make your issues known. We need you and your support.

Thanks for the faith. I will do my absolute best to serve you.