“Nothing personal” — that's often the phrase managers use just before they drop the hammer on some awful decision. “We’re outsourcing your job," "We’re closing the plant," "We’re selling the company.”
The past year was full of examples of just how personal these issues can get. In 2007 we saw a new wave of offshoring decisions that are destroying the jobs of pre-press workers in the newspaper industry; along with serious challenges to the bargaining rights of many of our longest-standing units — Mailers at the Washington Post, workers at the Toledo Blade, newly-organized Mailers in Tonawanda, printers in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and hundreds more personal stories in large and small units across the nation.
On Wall Street and in corporate boardrooms, it’s easy for executives collecting six or seven figure salaries to look at people and their jobs simply as numbers on a balance sheet, but when a single mother can’t afford medicine for a sick child; or when a bank moves to foreclose your mortgage; when you have to choose between groceries or paying your heat bill; things can get mighty personal.
When a family or an individual is suddenly confronted with the uncertainties that come with the loss of income, sudden unemployment, or the loss of health care protection it is always personal.
That’s why our response is personal, too. The following is a short summary of highlights of the past year. It is, of necessity an abbreviated look at what our local leaders, members and staff have accomplished.
The printing industry & Its future and politics
Pattern of outsourcing pre-press work to India
The literal stampede to offshore large portions of pre-press work to India and elsewhere grew exponentially last year. This phenomenon is part of a larger pattern of outsourcing that has been facilitated by globalization, free trade and technology run amok. This trend has affected millions of jobs — some in our contract plants and thousands more in print operations where the workers have no union protection at all. The offshoring menace is likely to grow even larger and more destructive in the short run. It is linked inextricably to the millions of lost jobs in manufacturing, to the erosion of the American dollar, to the steady rise in prices for gasoline, to the housing crisis that threatens so many of us, and to the abysmal mismanagement of the U.S. economy under the administration of George W. Bush.
We can contain the offshoring threat in our industry, to some extent, through our collective bargaining agreements — but the key to reversing it altogether is through the political arena and that’s where we need to focus our attention.
America’s presidential election in 2008 began after the polls closed in 2004 when we, once again, saw our preferred candidate — John Kerry — derailed by clever propaganda and manipulation of public opinion. Moneyed interests and right-wing forces within the media poisoned the debate with innuendo, doubt and suspicion. We cannot let that happen this time. Our Sector, CWA and the larger labor movement will provide the facts and try our best to keep the focus on the economy and your economic interests. The other side will be working feverishly to move the focus elsewhere. Don’t let them get away with it again.
The Negotiated Pension Plan (NPP)
Assets increased by net of $3 million
Assets of the Fund increased by a net of $3 million in 2006. The NPP also achieved “green” status over the past year — the top rating under the 2006 Pension Protection Act. Plans at less than green can be designated as yellow, for “endangered,” or red — for “critical.” There was no reason to believe that the NPP would be anything but green — having experienced an overall return of 7.8% over the course of the year. While we are extremely proud of what the Fund has achieved throughout its 40-year history, we are concerned that the balky performance of the economy represents a threat to the economic security of our members — working and retired — as well as all working people. The implosion of the housing market coupled with rising prices for commodities and a general loss of confidence raises red flags that all of us must heed. Rest assured that the NPP and its trustees will be closely monitoring the financial markets with a keen eye toward maintaining and growing the NPP, truly the crown jewel of our Sector’s assets.
The CWA label on printed material
Promoting CWA Print Shops on the Web
Over the past two years your union has taken steps to assert our jurisdiction in the printing process. We are the original printers. It is incumbent that we protect the wages, working conditions and employment security of those workers we represent. In view of that concern, the 2006 Sector Conference, and the CWA Convention that followed, adopted the design for a new CWA Printing Sector Label to enable those inside CWA and our allies outside the opportunity to easily identify printed products that are produced by our members. In 2007, we reaffirmed that action, enlisting Sector locals in the drive to promote the use of CWA print shops for printing done by CWA locals and affiliates as well as organizations that CWA supports. In the coming year, we are expanding the concept with the development of a CWA Print website (www.cwaprintshops.org/beta) as a clearinghouse to link print buyers to qualified CWA printers. Anyone can get on the website, provide specifications for a given job and request that interested printers give them a bid. We are in the process of signing up employers who wish to participate on the website and we expect the system to be operational over the next six months. Our appreciation to New York CWA Local 14156 and President Art DeIanni who developed the plan. This effort will be enhanced with assistance from CWA’s Strategic Industry Fund. CWA members have historically supported the work and the products of their members — in telecommunications and manufacturing. They will also support the output of our commercial print members if we let them know how. That’s what this label program is all about.
Strikes & Lockouts
Toledo Lockout became deeply personal
When the threat of an employer lockout in Toledo last year became deeply personal for the 215 union workers there, you responded with financial and moral support, not just for the 20 Printing Sector members, but for the entire unit — mounting a public outreach to the people of the region to let them know about the plight of all the Blade’s workers.
The Toledo confrontation was the only lockout the Sector experienced last year. Over the duration of the nine-month stalemate, Sector members at the Blade collected $143,300 in lockout benefits and the CWA Defense Fund contributed more than $250,000 in support — money used to cover health care costs for members as well as paying for advertising and publicity on behalf of the workers. Individual locals from the Sector and CWA at-large also made generous financial donations. CWA assisted further with legal support to pursue unfair labor practice charges against the Blade’s parent company.
The employer’s decision to end the lockout after nine months was no doubt prompted by the realization that Block Communications would be liable for millions in back wages as a result of the unlawful lockout of the workers. The final settlement yielded a $3 million agreement. But, even more importantly it created a stronger, more cohesive group of workers at the Blade where the eight unions there are now armed with a common expiration date for their agreements and the added resolve that their painful experience built.
Collective Bargaining
Locals had some impressive gains
Locals within the Sector have produced some impressive gains at the bargaining table despite the difficult circumstances in which they have had to operate.
There were some tense times in Philadelphia early in the year as CWA Local 14199 worked alongside nine other unions to nail down agreements with the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News. Both papers asked for and received cooperation from their unions to deal with rocky financial situations.
Similarly, in Pittsburgh, where Pittsburgh Typographical Union No. 7 (CWA 14827) and Mailers No. M-22 (CWA Local 14842) were two of 11 unions seeking new agreements — the publisher was demanding deep concessions to keep the paper operating. The agreements that developed out of those talks provided savings of some $1.2 million. Through coordinated negotiations at the Post-Gazette, the package that was eventually adopted was innovative and gave the paper breathing space, but it was accompanied with a blunt warning from the unions that it is now up to management to avoid mistakes that put the paper in the financial weeds in the first place. As Local 7 President Don McConnell said: “Now it’s up to management to be financially responsible.”
Forty Mailers at the Tonawanda Daily News won a first contract last summer, yielding a 37 percent wage increase over five years. The contract included retroactivity back to April 1, 2007. Most significantly for the mostly female workforce, the company agreed to drop its controversial policy that resulted in termination of employees who got sick or injured and established strong new safety procedures on the job. It took more than six years to win this first contract. Buffalo-Niagara Typographical Union No. 9 (CWA Local 14148) organized this subsidiary of Greater Niagara Newspapers in 2000.
As 2007 ended, Mailers in Buffalo concluded a six-year agreement covering 140 workers at the Buffalo News, providing a $2.56 per-hour wage increase and substantial improvements in health care coverage. The contract, negotiated by Buffalo CWA Local 14169, included retroactivity and individual lump sum bonus checks of $4,638 for journeymen and $1,200 each for helpers in the unit. The unit achieved another milestone with full retiree and spouse health care coverage — which continues even if a retiree pre-deceases the spouse.
Johnstown (PA) Typographical Union No. 137 (CWA Local 14815) delivered improved health care coverage for the 45 employees of the Johnstown Tribune Democrat in a health care reopener this past year after fending off publisher demands to bring the group under coverage through its inferior corporate plan. The outcome was a win-win for the union and management as the plan proved less expensive — saving the company $35,000 a year.
The Mailers contract at the Washington Post remains a special case — one which could, should — and will — ultimately be resolved at the bargaining table. First, however, the publisher must come to terms with the reality that this union is not going to sell out our members. This case, particularly, is personal for all of us because it hinges on the Post’s demands that our members surrender their Negotiated Pension Plan, substituting an inferior, management-dominated plan that would reduce the benefits for Mailers by about 25 percent. For 30 years now, all the Post Mailers contributions into the NPP have come directly from the Mailers themselves — in the form of wage increases that the members of the unit voted to divert into their pensions. Yet the Post would literally throw these members under the bus and mortgage their future just to destroy their union. Last year, the Post Mailers took their case to the streets of Washington — actually to Washington’s underground subway where riders could read for themselves what this battle is all about. With the support of the Sector and CWA, Sector Local M-29 (Mailers Local 14201) will continue to reach out to the Post’s readers and residents of the region to educate and energize readers in the battle for a fair contract.
Litigation
Some success
While the Mailers at the Washington Post pressed their case for a contract with an innovative ad campaign — billboards and print ads — to talk to Post readers, the union was forced also to file suit in U.S. District Court to force the publisher to live up to the terms of the basic agreement providing for arbitration over disciplinary action.
Local M-29 (CWA Local 14201) took the action to protect a 30-year veteran Mailer who was suspended on disciplinary charges. When the local sought to move the case to arbitration, Post management claimed that they are not compelled by law to observe the terms of an expired agreement. CWA Printing Sector attorney Richard Rosenblatt countered that those Mailers holding lifetime job guarantees have an unfettered right to job protections — including arbitration over disciplines — because all the terms and conditions of the original contract apply to those workers — including access to the grievance procedure. The Washinton Post chose to settle the case and dodged the court contest.
Local 222 in Easton, Pennsylvania, representing workers at Cadmus Printing, won an order from arbitrator Jeffrey Tener, putting an employee back to work after the company had fired her for allegedly violating rules on absenteeism. The arbitrator found that the company had not followed its own rules about investigating the circumstances behind the worker’s absence and that the employee had attempted to comply with what were confusing and contradictory requirements. The arbitrator scolded Cadmus for acting “precipitously” in the situation.
Another arbitrator awarded $75,000 in overtime pay to Cadmus workers who were owed holiday pay at the premium rate, to comply with the terms of the union’s wage agreement with the company. The pact requires premium pay for holidays that fall on weekends if the workers had already worked their standard 37.5-hour week before the holiday occurred. The company had calculated wages over the year-end holidays at regular rates.
Retirements
Farewell to long-time stalwarts
The Sector bid farewell to a number of stalwarts within the union over the past year, including longtime Philadelphia Local 14199 President Jim O’Connor who retired at the end of 2006 after more than 50 years in the trade and more than 40 years in leadership posts. Jim began his apprenticeship in 1953. He became secretary-treasurer of the local, then known as Philadelphia Typographical Union No. 2, in 1966 and was first elected president in 1984. Jim also served as a trustee for the Negotiated Pension Plan from 1995 until 2006.
Obituaries
Bert Powers
Bernard Davis
William E. Metz
The death of Bert Powers, who served as president of New York Typographical Union No. 6 during its heyday, marked an end to another chapter in the union’s colorful history. Bert died in Washington at the end of 2006 at age 84.
Bernard Davis, who died at age 87 last May, served as an ITU Field Representative from 1972 until his retirement in 1984. Bernard had been a union activist within his original Long Island Local 915 and with the “Big 6” since shortly after he was initiated as a journeyman in 1950. He served as chapel chair at Newsday and secretary-treasurer of Local 915.
William F. Metz, long-time president of St. Louis Mailers Local M-3, died in July. Bill led his local through two major strikes in the 1970s. He served as the first Mailer Coordinator, from 1986 until 1999.
Union printers home
Occupancy rate of between 95 and 100 percent
The Union Printers Home continues to operate as a full-service senior care facility, with an occupancy rate of between 95 and 100 percent throughout the year. The Home employs some 230 employees, including care-givers, food service personnel, clerical and maintenance workers under the supervision of Administrator Connie Miller.
Finances
The union is on sound footing.
The Sector’s finances are on sound footing. The following is a brief listing of various Sector Funds for the calendar year 2006. (All balances are stated for the period of January 1 through December 31, 2007.)
Operating Fund: Ended the year with a balance of $875,115.13, unaudited. Receipts for the period totaled $44,184.56, unaudited. Expenditures totaled $129,507.18.
ITU Segregated Fund: Had income of $34,378.94 Benefits totaled $12,228.71, and were distributed among 39 members and/or their beneficiaries. The fund balance at the end of the period was $865,590.17, unaudited.
Strike Fund: The Strike Fund had income of $194,542.21 and expenditures of $335,898.61. The Strike Fund balance at the conclusion of 2007 was $4,388,635.47 unaudited. Strike expenses for the M-29/Washington Post campaign totaled $322,777.47. Lockout benefits paid through Dec. 31, 2007 to members of Toledo Typo Union No. 63 total $143,300.
Summary: In the labor movement, we refer to our members as brothers and sisters because we are the family that responds to these challenges — personally — by reaching out with the strength of our numbers and a helping hand. What we achieved last year and what we will achieve in the years ahead will depend upon more of the same from members, officers and our staff.
As the president of this Sector, I have been deeply moved over the past year by the generosity and solidarity of our brothers and sisters. After more than two decades serving as your president, if there is one lesson that I have learned it is to trust in the ability of our members to do the right thing when faced with adversity. I want to thank each of you personally and ask you to keep up the good work.
The courage, tenacity, dedication and resilience of our people up and down the line provides our union with a deep reservoir of strength and power ensuring that we can face any foe and meet any challenge that lies ahead.
In Solidarity,
Bill Boarman
President
