Indianapolis NewsGuild

The Indy News Guild was made aware Monday afternoon by HR of a new electronic timekeeping system. Please keep in mind that we have not agreed to the Kronos system. We are conducting due diligence on both the security aspect and the logistics, because only a certain percentage of guild covered employees would fully participate.

The note that went out tonight from James Keough states that the goal is to improve efficiency, but having both electronic and manual input seems to thwart the very notion. Keough’s note did not indicate this, but he told us Monday that there could be manual changes made so that if a person started their work day at home they would not be penalized if they didn’t hit their specific entry. Our goal is to make sure that no one is subject to discipline.

Please send us an e-mail at indynewsguild70@gmail.com with your thoughts on whether you support this time keeping change. Again, this is a change to work conditions so the guild has some say in the process. The paper’s management has indicated there are no problems at other Gannett sites, and the guild is checking out these claims.

— The officers and stewards of Indianapolis News Guild 70

All: A quick note that will foreshadow, somewhat, our upcoming print Inkling. These are items that are too good to wait, and came during our quarterly Guild membership meeting on Oct. 27:

*Congrats to Adam Yates, a nightside online producer who wasunanimously voted in as new secretary, filling in Sylvia Halladay’s term through July 1, 2010. (Elections for our five officers will be held next year. The lineup now is Tom Spalding (business desk), president; Vic Ryckaert (police reporter) and DuJuan Carpenter (building services), vice presidents; Geoff Ooley (sports copy desk), treasurer and Yates. There were 10 witnesses present for the swearing-in.

*Given the tough economic times, officers and stewards voted to double the amount of money spent for holiday gift cards — to $50 instead of $25. Duespayers only, of course. You are more than welcome to “re-gift” them to one of our laid-off coworkers or, given our own 10% paycut, use it on yourself. We are in touch with most our departed colleagues if you need an address. E-mail Vic Ryckaert, who is in charge of the gift certificate disbursement. We expect them to get them to you in the November-December timeframe.

*We have decided to recycle/repurpose the fire-engine red “Negotiate don’t dictate” signs and are sending a batch to Sheboygan Press’ guild, for its contract negotiations have gotten underway with Gannett. Gannett as you may have heard is seeking a 15 percent pay cut for those workers and want to remove all but two weeks’ of severance for those workers. The same lawyer, Scott Feldman, who orchestrated Gannett’s unfair pay cut power play in Indianapolis is handling matters in that city. We have replacement desk tents for you, and we’ll reach out if we don’t see one on yours as we continue to push toward the next contract negotiations, in 2011.

Copies of the contract are in the process of being distributed across the Star empire. Most downtown employees should have received theirs and copies will be delivered Tuesday to employees at the bureaus and PPC will.

You can also download a PDF version of the contract.