The Indianapolis News Guild local 34070 today reached a tentative agreement with representatives of Gannett/The Indianapolis Star that would include a 10% permanent pay cut effective Aug. 30, 2009 that would apply to all roughly 185 employees covered by our unit.
That two-year agreement is subject to a ratification vote by duespayers that is scheduled for noon-to-6 p.m. on Aug. 25 (with absentee balloting allowed for anyone who cannot participate in person). Additional details will come early next week, once the company provides our union with its final proposal. We also urge you to attend one of two information sessions [scheduled for 2-to-4 p.m. on Aug. 16 and Aug. 23] so you can understand the ramifications of a “yes” vote versus a “no” vote on the agreement. All info sessions and the election will be at the Musicians Hall, 325 N. Delaware St.
We thank Conrad Bowling, mediator, Indianapolis Field Office, federal mediation and conciliation service, for his assistance in bargaining over the past two days.
E-mail Tom Spalding at indystar68@yahoo.com or Shari Rudavsky at srudavsky@msn.com for an absentee ballot.
Indianapolis NewsGuild 
Unfortunately, this announcement does not include the information about what happens to the seven wrongfully laid off employees who have been waiting the better part of a year for our arbitration hearing. Allow me to demonstrate:
Bus
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Us
more details, please. what about seniority in future layoffs? advertorial? severance?
and what if this “final” gci proposal is rejected? what happens then? does the evergreen clause remain in effect?
Folks, I am voting no and here is why:
Honestly any cut 10% or higher is going to necessitate another job realistically, and in the interim a part-time one to tide me over. As far as the out sourcing goes, they are going to do that no matter what the contract says. They have found ways to drive around the contract before and they will do it again. Like with the RTC they told those folks in Q&O they would need to re-apply for those jobs (I think they just did it in Westchester as well). All that remodeling they are doing on the 3/4th floors ain’t for nothing. The fact that they are now offering a monetary settlement to the November 7 is also evidence in my mind they are afraid of losing the arbitration. Toss in the fact that during that Q&A a month or so ago the question of management pay cuts was pretty much answered in my mind. *ahem* When I ask somebody a yes or no question and they dance around three times I usually get the picture, just say’in. Well I hope this vote goes down like the last one but, it probably will not. The wedge is too big and the economic situation is too crappy. Good luck to all.
Regarding the monetary settlement to the seven of us waiting for arbitration: There’s a lot of misinformation out there about the amount. Since it’s supposed to be confidential, I won’t reveal it here, but ask a Guild officer and they’ll tell you.
Suffice it to say, it is miniscule.