Thousands of commuters at 16th and Delaware getting their chance to learn more about our Save The Star campaign. Learn more about the billboard and our Save The Star campaign.
Save The Star billboard goes up at 16th and Delaware
Filed under 2011 Contract Negotiations, Save The Star
Learn more about contract negotiations tonight at 6 p.m.
The Indy News Guild will hold an informational meeting tonight at 6 p.m. to update members on the first two days of contract negotiations. We will meet at the Musicians Hall on Delaware St. (across the street from The Star garage). For those that can’t make it to the meeting we’ll send an email with a summary later tonight. If you have any questions or comments please let us know.
Filed under 2011 Contract Negotiations, Events/Meetings
Red Fridays
We want everyone to wear red on Fridays.
From now on.
As long as we’re negotiating a contract.
You can wear a red shirt, a red tie, red pants, red plaid, a red dress (McFeely has promised to do this), a red beret, a red scarf, a red suit. But whatever you wear, wear red on Fridays.
What does the red stand for? It says we’re angry. It says we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore. Red stands out. In a drab world, it jumps up and gets noticed.
Why does wearing one color matter? It’s a small thing, yes. But it says to all of your peers in the Guild and — separately, to the publisher — that the Guild means business this year, that we’re unified and that we will be heard from.
Yes, it’s a small thing. But small things add up.
Filed under 2011 Contract Negotiations, General
Indy News Guild member meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m.
The Indianapolis Newspaper Guild will hold a meeting for all members on Wednesday, September 7 at 6 p.m. at the Indianapolis Musicians’ Guild hall on 325 N. Delaware St. (across from Star garage).
Topics to be covered:
- Guild’s contract negotiation proposals
- The new Save The Star media campaign
- Member feedback and discussion about events currently going on in the newsroom
Food will be provided. We hope to see all of you there.
Filed under Events/Meetings
First two days of contract negotiations postponed
Due to travel disruptions caused by Hurricane Irene, the first two days of contract negotiations originally scheduled for Monday, August 29 and Tuesday, August 30 have been postponed. Schedules are being checked to determine the next available date all parties are able to meet. If you have any ideas or thoughts to share before bargaining begins please let us know at indynewsguild70@gmail.com.
Filed under 2011 Contract Negotiations
Join fellow guild members at Aug. 21 Indianapolis Indians game
The Indianapolis Newspaper Guild invites duespaying members and their families to enjoy a day at the ballpark on Sunday, Aug. 21, when the Indianapolis Indians take on the Leigh Valley Iron Pigs (the Pigs’ manager is former Cubs 2nd baseman Ryne Sandberg!). The guild will buy tickets for members and their family. Everyone who attends also gets $10 in “Baseball Bucks” to spend at the park. The game starts at 2 p.m.; gates open at 12:30 p.m. Arrive Early: The first 2,500 fans get a souvenir slippers.
Reservations required. RSVP to Guild steward Vic Ryckaert at vicryc@gmail.com.
Filed under Events/Meetings
Misinformation about your health care coverage
The Star’s personnel office acknowledged Monday that there has been a major error in the information it has been giving laid-off employees about their post-employment health care coverage.
Since the June 21 layoffs, The Star has been telling workers that their health insurance would last only until June 30. From there, workers would need to find new coverage. Some did just that, searching out and purchasing new plans. Others who saw their benefits were ending abruptly, went out and spent hundreds of dollars from their flexible spending accounts, thinking that money was about to disappear.
Now, The Star’s personnel office says the company’s health care coverage didn’t end abruptly on June 30. Instead, it says the coverage will last as long as an employee’s severance payments. A worker with 12 weeks severance, for instance, would also have health coverage for 12 weeks.
Needless to say this is a striking change from the information provided at the time of the layoffs.
Olivia LaMelle, the Star’s human resources director, accepted responsibility for the mistake. She also asked that former workers contact her if they spent money on new health plans or incurred other problems based on the bad information. She said The Star would attempt to remedy the situation.
The Guild urges you to take her up on her offer, and to let us know how well she does. You might even want to copy us in on emails you send in to notify The Star about your experience.
LaMelle said she would be issuing a letter to laid-off workers within the next two days regarding the mistake. Aside from detailing the problem, the letter should also contain The Star’s latest calculation of the severance benefits you should expect to receive. This new calculation, she said, would take into account provisions from previous contracts up until 2002 that allowed for 2 weeks severance for each year of work.
The Guild understands that this whole episode has unnecessarily added stress and strain — and for some, financial expense — that wasn’t needed during an already stressful situation.
We hope the acknowledgement of this error and a pledge to remedy its damage will help ease one of the burdens of this bad situation. Please let us know how it goes.
Filed under Layoffs/Buyouts
