Guild Restructuring Efforts
Up for Action May 26

by Phil Fairbanks
Vice President

The Guild is embarking on a major restructuring and rebuilding effort that local leaders hope will improve service to members.

At the top of the list is a search committee for a new staff person. The Guild will appoint the committee at its May 26 meeting.

Once it is formed, the committee will conduct a nationwide search for a successor to Marian Needham, who resigned as local service representative in November to take a job with the international union in Washington D.C.

Local president Tina Destro has filled in while on a leave of absence from The Buffalo News. She has helped with contract administration, especially the large number of grievances in Circulation, and run the office on a day- to-day to basis. The local recently voted to extend her leave while looking for a permanent solution

The Guild also is taking steps in the newsroom to improve contract administration and communication with members, especially those working at night or in bureaus.

In February, the local approved the creation of two new vice chair positions in the editorial department as a way of dealing with the large number of members and their diverse hours and workplaces. Nominations for the two positions will be taken at the May 26 local session. The job carries an annual stipend of $350.

One of the new vice chairs will serve as the Guild’s liaison with editorial members who work at night. The other vice chair will represent clerical employees in the newsroom, as well as members working in bureaus.

The changes will have no impact on the current editorial vice chair, Tom Ernst, who will continue to coordinate all newsroom issues.

Over the coming months, the Guild will address other rebuilding efforts as part of the work done by the Strategic Initiatives Commission headed by former Guild President Bob McCarthy.