Posted on 10/27/2006 4:50:45 AM PDT by abb
PHILADELPHIA Members of the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia voted overwhelmingly Thursday to authorize a strike against the city's two biggest newspapers if such action becomes necessary.
An estimated 500 of the union's 1,000 members who work for The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News attended a Guild meeting where leaders talked about how little progress has been made toward a new contract.
The strike vote recorded only four "no" votes. The current contract expires at midnight Tuesday.
The bargaining has been "tough, to say the least," said union leader Diane Mastrull.
She said the presence of a federal mediator, who joined the talks earlier this week, was "one bright spot" in negotiations.
The key issues are a proposal to freeze contributions to the Guild's pension plan and take over control of the pension fund, and a demand that the company be able to lay off employees without regard to seniority.
Management spokesman Jay Devine said the company is "disappointed that the Guild leadership is the only union taking this action."
Employees of the newspapers are represented by 12 labor unions. On Wednesday, Devine said four unions had already reached tentative agreements and the company hoped to reach agreements with the others before Tuesday.
Ping
TIME TO SUBSCRIBE TO "THE BULLETIN"!
ping
This is a case of murder by suicide.
the company be able to lay off employees without regard to seniority.
God I hope they get Frank Fitzpatrick and Trudy Rubin.
Owl_Eagle
If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.
Jamesir Bensonmum: She murdered herself in her sleep, sir.
Dick Charleston: You mean suicide?
Jamesir Bensonmum: Oh no, it was murder, all right. Mrs. Twain HATED herself.
Strike? Just hand out razor blades and tell them to make a fist before they cut their wrists to be sure they completely sever the blood vessels.
The union is as clueless as the reporters.
No wonder the RATS dominate Philly politics....with brain dead's like those union members...goes to prove again "a mind is a terrible thing to waste"!!
Dora Charleston: Is he dead?
Sam Diamond: With a thing like that in his back, in the long run, he's better off.
Excellent movie, IMOP.
You know, that would take the Inky & News out of the picture for the week before the election.
Fantastic news!! Both papers suck anyway so the longer they are down prior to the election the better.
Let them strike. Just days before the election, the commie newspapers wont be able to push their liberal agenda to the people. BRILLIANT!!!!!
STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE..SHUT it down and give us all a break.
since no one buys their stupid paper .. will anyone notice they are on strike?
My Dad. He still reads it and worships Olbermann. Sigh :(
You have a lot of work on your hands
If it makes you feel better .. I have a brother who whenever calls me .. the first words out of his mouth are "Don't hang up on me" *L*
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