Guild Adapts at Sector
Conference, Convention

by Tina M. Destro
President

For the first time in its history, The Newspaper Guild did not hold its annual convention, but as a sector of the Communications Workers of America, conducted its Sector Conference, Aug. 28 and 29 in advance of the CWA Convention, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, both in Chicago.

At the Sector Conference, 36 Guild-CWA locals from across the United States and Canada convened to contemplate issues that will affect the Guild-CWA now, and as we progress into the future as part of CWA.

Important decisions on the structure of TNG-CWA were made to reflect the changing nature of our union.

The International Executive Board of TNG-CWA, made up of regional and at-large vice presidents from the U.S. and Canada, will now be known as the Executive Council.

Motions were passed at the Sector Conference to reduce the size of the Executive Council. Currently the Executive Council is comprised of the international chair, the president, secretary-treasurer, director of TNG Canada and 13 vice presidents.

Beginning in 1999, the Executive Council will be reduced from 17 members to 14 by eliminating three at-large vice president seats.

Effective in 2002, the Executive Council will be reduced to 12 with eight vice presidents.

In conjunction with the restructuring, delegates at the Sector Conference passed a motion allowing the Executive Council to consider changing the name of The Newspaper Guild-CWA to more accurately reflect the ever changing and expanding nature of the membership.

The Executive Council, empowered by a majority vote of the Sector Conference delegates, will be charged with considering its role and the relationship between the Council and the senior officers of the Guild CWA. As a part of this motion, the Council will submit a report on this issue at the 1999 Sector Conference to be held in April 1999, in Ottawa.

The Finance Committee of the Sector Conference also submitted a resolution to the floor for the elimination of 2(d) dues from the TNG-CWA constitution. A resolution was also passed to allow for a first week payment on the seventh day of a strike in the amount of $150, U.S., per striker or locked out worker from the TNG-CWA Defense Fund. This is with the understanding that $150, U.S., will be repaid to the TNG-CWA Defense Fund from the CWA Member Relief Fund. This is intended to provide benefits one week earlier than the CWA Member Relief Fund.

On Aug. 28, Marian Needham, former local service representative here in Buffalo, and Barbara Camens, TNG-CWA general counsel, gave a presentation on New Technology, New Work.

The presentation centered on the transformation of work within the media industry that has resulted from the explosion of information technology in recent years.

The presentation included a panel discussion with representatives from Guild-CWA locals around the country including Boston, Ma., Toledo, Oh., Pueblo, Co., Akron, Oh., and the Washington/Baltimore local.

Discussion centered on the challenges presented in claiming and holding jurisdiction over the work, jurisdictional agreements that have been reached, shared jurisdiction, training and competence, privacy concerns, issues of competition and of compensation.

The underlying theme of the discussion was, if it looks like our work, it is.

A copy of the report used for the presentation is available in the Guild-CWA local office for review. It will be an important tool in bargaining agreements on jurisdiction related to new technology.

TNG-CWA also enjoyed full participation in the CWA Convention held at Navy Pier in Chicago. The strength of TNG-CWA delegates was evident in the victory of Larry Cohen's election for Executive Vice President of CWA over Sue Pisha, a CWA candidate from the Southwest region. Cohen was formerly an assistant to CWA president Morton Bahr. The election filled the post left vacant by retiring Executive Vice President M.E. Nichols.

Vice President Al Gore and Jesse Jackson spoke at the Convention on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 respectively. Their rousing speeches in support of labor and working people made evident the impact that union members can have in working with politicians to save the labor movement in this country. Their inspiration made it clear that we can work together to elevate the status of working men and women despite corporate mergers and domination that serve to strip our rights away.