Guild Counters News Lumps
with 6% Annual Hikes

The Guild made its counter offer on wages Monday, proposing a five-year contract that calls for a 6 percent pay increase in all five years. The proposal would extend into the year 2000 and provide members with full retroactive pay for 1996.

Management still has an offer on the table that would provide no wage increase for 1996 and one-time lump sum cash payments ranging from 1.46 percent in 1997 to 2.08 percent in 2000, effectively freezing employees’ base salaries into the next century.

In making its counter, the union made it clear to management that it rejects the concept of lump-sum bonuses, and that members’ salaries must continue to increase while The News is reaping enormous profits. It also reminded the company negotiating team that Guild salaries have lost ground to inflation since Warren Buffett bought the paper, and it’s time to cut the workers in on some of the $50 million annual profit they help create.

To hammer home that point, the Guild bargaining team read about 40 comments that were submitted by members on the bottom of an April 28 bargaining bulletin on company profitability. They felt it was important for The News to understand how strongly the membership felt, and to hear the collective voice of an outraged work force.

The Guild bargaining reps took turns reading members’ comments, which fell into five basic categories – general comments, company profitability, the need for The News to appreciate its employees, the effect of News proposals on our families, and the fact that workers create the profits. Here’s a sampling:

“A lump sum would give me less than $200 after taxes for the first year! A freeze would mean that, after my landlord raises my rent 5% every year for five years, and after National Fuel gets its rate increase along with Adelphia Cable, NYSEG and NYNEX, I would have to move from my already less than luxurious upper flat in Cheektowaga to something even more appropriate. My net pay is $389 a week. When I hear wage freeze, I could just scream!!!”

“Labor creates all wealth. Labor should share in it.”

“The families we are trying to raise are NOT in a zero-percent expense environment. Taxes, food, clothing, all the essentials do not come by in a zero-percent environment. To tell us our standard of living must be lowered is an insult and reflects poorly on the level of employer appreciation for its most basic and essential asset.”

“So now let me get this straight: I’m currently doing the work that the company used to pay several people to do (that’s salary and benefits for several people). Now the company is paying salary and benefits for one employee. I believe I see quite a savings there! Yet they want to freeze my salary! Ugh! This makes me so angry I could scream! I think it’s disgusting! How greedy can people be?”

“It’s always amazed me that a company which consistently racks up profits the publishing world envies always looks for ways to nickel and dime its employees to death. If you continue to preach gloom and doom, eventually it will happen.”

“In the face of $150 million in gross profits over the last three years, their offer is insulting, demoralizing and shameful. Effective management of this organization can be achieved without degrading the people who work so hard to contribute to its profitability. Stop it. Treat us with dignity.”

“Say No to $0!!!!!”

“I would be willing to let my base pay stay the same until 2001 as long as management brings their pay down to mine. Then, no problem”

“I’ve never in my life seen such unparalleled greed. Ever hear of doing something nice for the people who delivered you to such lofty heights? Your 0 raises ‘til 2001 sure makes me want to do my best and go that extra mile for you. NOT.”

“I’ve worked in union and non-union newsrooms for 12 years. I have always received an annual raise. Treating employees the way The Buffalo News proposes is a sure-fire way to lose good people.”

One creative Guild member simply drew a hand with an upraised middle finger as his message to management. A sense of decorum prevents us from reproducing it here.

News chief negotiator Ralph Wray said he did not wish to rebut all the points made in the employees’ statements. He did say The News’ profit margins are misunderstood, and described the company’s profits as “middle of the pack,” which had Guild negotiators tempted to hold up the drawing of the middle finger.

So management has heard our members’ sentiments on their wage offer, loud and clear. If you have any comments on the Guild’s opening wage offer, please write them on the other side and pass them on to a steward.