Just an apology for the delay in posting. As promised, here's my report from the Guild Sector Conference (essentially the Guild convention) in Providence, R.I.:
I went to The Newspaper Guild's sector conference in Providence, and, instead of a lousy T-shirt, I ended up getting elected the western regional vice president of the Guild.
Granted, I was elected by acclamation, which is a polite way of saying there was no opposition, that nobody else wanted the job. But I was encouraged to run for the post by some of the people I respect most in the Guild, including both of the candidates for president.
Along with no opposition, there's also no pay. But this is an important position at a critical time for newspapers and for The Newspaper Guild. The West, and particularly the Bay Area, are on the leading edge of change in the media industry, and part of my role will be to present that perspective to the rest of the Guild's leadership.
While changes such as the loss of classified advertising to Craig's List and readers to a variety of online sources slammed us first, I think we'll also be where the answers to those challenges are developed. We're not only the proverbial canaries in the coal mine, we're the prospectors.
But enough about me. Plenty of other things happened at the convention -- and almost all of them involved politics. The race for president between incumbent Linda Foley and challenger and secretary treasurer Bernie Lunzer colored just about everything.
Supporters of Lunzer and his slate hung their convention badges on yellow "A Stronger Guild" lanyards. Backers of Foley sported blue "Team Guild" buttons. Leaflets, stickers and various other campaign items were distributed. Lunzer held a fundraiser in a local restaurant. Foley held a lunch in a downtown hotel. Many clandestine meetings were held in hallways, hotel rooms and restaurants as people plotted.
And while there were a few confrontations and arguments, and a lot of discomfort among convention attendees who like both candidates or are striving to stay neutral, most of the disagreement was tempered with respect. Or maybe it was the beer and cocktails. After all, we're all Guild members first.
Not all the politics were Guild-related. For more than 30 years, the Providence Newspaper Guild has put on the annual Follies -- an event where they mock local politicians and events a la Saturday Night Live. It's a big deal -- attended by most of the state's politicos and power-brokers and filling a cheesy banquet hall with 1,200 people. Humor's never captured well in rewritten accounts, so I won't even try. Let's just say it was funny. And there were two political celebrity sightings:
-- Sen. John Kerry, who did a long standup routine that ended when his endorsement of Obama went on too long, and Clinton supporters started chanting: Hill-a-ry, Hill-a-ry.
-- Chelsea Clinton, who showed up before the show to work the crowd days before the Rhode Island primary. Chelsea was also spotted at the conference hotel, where she stayed, but did not attend the convention.
Another highlight of the convention was the reception given master organizer/mobilizer Carl Hall's presentation on the One Big Bang drive in the East Bay. Fellow delegates were so moved that, without solicitation, they pledged to give about $3,200 to help support the campaign.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Off to a good start
Yeah, yeah, I know. It's been a long time since my last post. But that's not because of a lack of anything to write about; it's that I've been too busy to blog. Well, that's my excuse anyway.
I spent the last week of January at a district meeting of the West Coast locals of the Communications Workers of America then filled the better part of the first week of this month with The Newspaper Guild's Media News Project.
While it added up to way too much time spent in chilly windowless meeting rooms, it left me feeling upbeat about organized labor and my fellow union members. It also left me with a nasty cold, but that's not the point of this entry.
At the CWA District 9 meeting, the message was that unions need to change, and are changing: to a scenario where members are more involved and where locals determine the needs, priorities and approaches.
The Media News Project was all about putting that theory into practice: training employees in the Singleton empire to mobilize their co-workers, and in the case of our local, to organize employees at the Bay Area News Group.
A common sentiment ran through both of the meetings: Workers are sick and tired of sitting by and watching their professions deteriorate, and are ready to do something about it.
Nowhere is that more clear than at the Contra Costa Times, where the organizing drive has moved into high gear. If you haven't done it yet, browse the Guild's BANG organizing site , www.onebigbang.org , and read the inspirational messages from the brave employees who are heading the organizing effort.
While the year is young, and the BANG organizing effort has a long way to go, things are definitely off to a good start. It's not too late to join the fun. Contact your unit officers to see how you can get involved.
I spent the last week of January at a district meeting of the West Coast locals of the Communications Workers of America then filled the better part of the first week of this month with The Newspaper Guild's Media News Project.
While it added up to way too much time spent in chilly windowless meeting rooms, it left me feeling upbeat about organized labor and my fellow union members. It also left me with a nasty cold, but that's not the point of this entry.
At the CWA District 9 meeting, the message was that unions need to change, and are changing: to a scenario where members are more involved and where locals determine the needs, priorities and approaches.
The Media News Project was all about putting that theory into practice: training employees in the Singleton empire to mobilize their co-workers, and in the case of our local, to organize employees at the Bay Area News Group.
A common sentiment ran through both of the meetings: Workers are sick and tired of sitting by and watching their professions deteriorate, and are ready to do something about it.
Nowhere is that more clear than at the Contra Costa Times, where the organizing drive has moved into high gear. If you haven't done it yet, browse the Guild's BANG organizing site , www.onebigbang.org , and read the inspirational messages from the brave employees who are heading the organizing effort.
While the year is young, and the BANG organizing effort has a long way to go, things are definitely off to a good start. It's not too late to join the fun. Contact your unit officers to see how you can get involved.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Michelle gets a chill in D.C.
Michelle Devera Louie filed this dispatch from the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she attended the Guild's New Local Officers Seminar.
On Saturday night, my nameless cohort, our St. Louis colleague and I tagged along with the Canadian contingent as they toured the sights of our nation's capital -- National Mall, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Vietnam Wall, Lincoln Memorial -- some I had seen before, some I hadn't.
They are impressively beautiful, but even though all I had done all day was sit in a conference room, I was pretty beat. The topics were heavy (Guild communications, organizing drives, collective bargaining and human rights and equity), and I already felt overwhelmed and terrified of the responsibility at hand. Plus, it was frost-bite cold and I'm a Southern Cali kinda gal; anything below 50 is f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g. Did I mention that we had the great pleasure of trailing three busloads of high school students? Like, OMG, how annoying!
My Canadian sisters marveled at the grandeur, at our founding fathers' words of promise, at the dreams for a newly born nation. It was awe inspiring.
This was America in a pure state -- its ideals intact, its virtue untainted, its intent uncompromised.
When we descended the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, it couldn't have been more perfect-perfect: As snow swirled about, a Marine in full dress blues got down on one knee and proposed to the beautiful lady at his side. A crowd surged around them, asking for his autograph, stealing glances at her ring.
It was no doubt a very happy scene. But, it was also a very sad scene. Everyone knew that a too young, too brave, too honorable man would soon go to war. It was too much to bear.
Why bother, right?
Because.
Because even if you can feel the caress of death in everything you do, even if you know that your duty called you to knock upon death's door, if you have something to live for, you are willing to make that sacrifice.
It's called hope. And in the name of hope, we are willing to do extraordinary things. Because without hope, we have nothing.
I have hope.
On Saturday night, my nameless cohort, our St. Louis colleague and I tagged along with the Canadian contingent as they toured the sights of our nation's capital -- National Mall, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Vietnam Wall, Lincoln Memorial -- some I had seen before, some I hadn't.
They are impressively beautiful, but even though all I had done all day was sit in a conference room, I was pretty beat. The topics were heavy (Guild communications, organizing drives, collective bargaining and human rights and equity), and I already felt overwhelmed and terrified of the responsibility at hand. Plus, it was frost-bite cold and I'm a Southern Cali kinda gal; anything below 50 is f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g. Did I mention that we had the great pleasure of trailing three busloads of high school students? Like, OMG, how annoying!
My Canadian sisters marveled at the grandeur, at our founding fathers' words of promise, at the dreams for a newly born nation. It was awe inspiring.
This was America in a pure state -- its ideals intact, its virtue untainted, its intent uncompromised.
When we descended the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, it couldn't have been more perfect-perfect: As snow swirled about, a Marine in full dress blues got down on one knee and proposed to the beautiful lady at his side. A crowd surged around them, asking for his autograph, stealing glances at her ring.
It was no doubt a very happy scene. But, it was also a very sad scene. Everyone knew that a too young, too brave, too honorable man would soon go to war. It was too much to bear.
Why bother, right?
Because.
Because even if you can feel the caress of death in everything you do, even if you know that your duty called you to knock upon death's door, if you have something to live for, you are willing to make that sacrifice.
It's called hope. And in the name of hope, we are willing to do extraordinary things. Because without hope, we have nothing.
I have hope.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Guild or gruel
(Michelle Devera Louie is at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland, for the New Local Officers Seminar. She's blogging about her experience from the land of labor and blue crab. This is her first dispatch.)
As you can see from the sun beating at my back, it's sunny and snowy in Silver Spring, Maryland, and I'm waiting in my room for the party to begin. The weather's not why I'm here though (same goes my cohort who, for now, shall remain nameless).
I'm here because the good people at The Newspaper Guild think I should be. But should I? Do I deserve to be here? My beloved co-workers on the features copy desk already have so much to do and no time to do it, and having one person down is as painful as having teeny-tiny razor blades playfully dragged across your skin while chewing on glass. It continually hurts but, after a while, you get used to it.
That's exactly why I'm here. No one should have to get used to it.
Enough is enough. I cannot stand by and watch quality sacrificed for quantity in the name of "journalism" as my brethren suffer and fatten someone else's wallet. That's not the journalism I practice. That's not the truth, freedom or democracy of my birthright. Someone once told me that we should all be thankful to still have jobs. Please. I'd rather read Dickens than have some higher-up dish it out to me, thank you.
They may serve us gruel but it doesn't mean we have to eat it.
(Editor's note: I'm assured that the food at the National Labor College rates significantly better than gruel. Stay tuned for more dispatches from Michelle...)
As you can see from the sun beating at my back, it's sunny and snowy in Silver Spring, Maryland, and I'm waiting in my room for the party to begin. The weather's not why I'm here though (same goes my cohort who, for now, shall remain nameless).
I'm here because the good people at The Newspaper Guild think I should be. But should I? Do I deserve to be here? My beloved co-workers on the features copy desk already have so much to do and no time to do it, and having one person down is as painful as having teeny-tiny razor blades playfully dragged across your skin while chewing on glass. It continually hurts but, after a while, you get used to it.
That's exactly why I'm here. No one should have to get used to it.
Enough is enough. I cannot stand by and watch quality sacrificed for quantity in the name of "journalism" as my brethren suffer and fatten someone else's wallet. That's not the journalism I practice. That's not the truth, freedom or democracy of my birthright. Someone once told me that we should all be thankful to still have jobs. Please. I'd rather read Dickens than have some higher-up dish it out to me, thank you.
They may serve us gruel but it doesn't mean we have to eat it.
(Editor's note: I'm assured that the food at the National Labor College rates significantly better than gruel. Stay tuned for more dispatches from Michelle...)
Monday, January 7, 2008
Vacation from the valley
In keeping with my New Years goal (don't call it a resolution) of getting more voices on this blog, here are some thoughts from our brothers and sisters in the Central Valley branch of the McClatchy Empire, which was once the proud mainstay of a prosperous newspaper chain. (Full disclosure: I am a proud alumnus of the Modesto branch of the empire's Bee newspapers, and a not-so-proud owner of McClatchy stock):
As McClatchy stock hovers around $11 a share (a couple of years ago it was well north of $60), memoranda urging everyone to cut costs are threatening to choke the e-mail servers. So Worker Bees are wondering why McClatchy execs are choosing to hold their annual editors and publishers conference in sunny San Diego, a city in which McClatchy doesn't even own a newspaper. (At least not yet).
One can only speculate why the meeting is being held in America's Finest City, as S.D. bills itself, instead of at McClatchy Central in California's State Capital. Is it because sunshine is more conducive to corporate profits than tule fog? Because San Diego has a better zoo? Because San Diego's trolley goes to Tijuana (publisher body shots!) while Sacramento's goes to Folsom? (Insert appropriate cliche about inquiring minds here).
Note: Anyone other members with blog items/tips/ledes, send 'em my way: CTUAN@aol.com and I'll compile and post them or, if you prefer, post them as you've written (with some editing, of course.) and give you credit.
As McClatchy stock hovers around $11 a share (a couple of years ago it was well north of $60), memoranda urging everyone to cut costs are threatening to choke the e-mail servers. So Worker Bees are wondering why McClatchy execs are choosing to hold their annual editors and publishers conference in sunny San Diego, a city in which McClatchy doesn't even own a newspaper. (At least not yet).
One can only speculate why the meeting is being held in America's Finest City, as S.D. bills itself, instead of at McClatchy Central in California's State Capital. Is it because sunshine is more conducive to corporate profits than tule fog? Because San Diego has a better zoo? Because San Diego's trolley goes to Tijuana (publisher body shots!) while Sacramento's goes to Folsom? (Insert appropriate cliche about inquiring minds here).
Note: Anyone other members with blog items/tips/ledes, send 'em my way: CTUAN@aol.com and I'll compile and post them or, if you prefer, post them as you've written (with some editing, of course.) and give you credit.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
New year, new Guild
Like almost everyone else during the holidays, I had great plans to do all kinds of things the past month or so, but ran out of time or energy or both. Turns out I was too busy cramming in shopping during my spare time to write that blog post about tips on buying union gifts for the holidays. As they say, it's the thought that counts.
Maybe I'm just feeling all warm and gushy because of the season -- or is it the egg nog? -- but I think things are looking good for the Guild. After an ugly summer that started (and continued for months) with dozens of layoffs at the Chronicle, and ended with the ANG unit having their union representation stolen from them, we've enjoyed a good couple of months. And we've got momentum on our side as we roll into 2008.
At the aforementioned Chronicle, members decided not to wallow in the post-buyout depression and instead use the opportunity to build a better unit. An enthusiastic group of new leaders has stepped forward and is hard at work recruiting and training new stewards, filling committees, rescuscitating the Chronicle Insider newsletter and coming up with lots of new ideas.
The disenfranchised ANG members have rallied, too. Despite having their union membership taken away (illegally, we believe), they've never given up. Dozens of them still pay union dues -- voluntarily and without payroll deduction -- and they've been active in trying to convince their new brethren and sistren at the Contra Costa Times that joining the Guild is the smart thing to do. As they say in their weekly newsletter: "We're still here. Don't believe the hype."
The effort to organize the Contra Costa Times is taking off. An organizing committee has formed and we hope to start collecting signed union cards in the months to come. In addition to the efforts of the ANG unit, a slew of Chronicle reporters offered their time and in some cases their homes to help with the organizing drive.
The McClatchy units -- at the Sacramento, Fresno and Modesto Bee newspapers -- are also getting stronger with new leadership, a new contract in Fresno, and more members signing up. With McClatchy no longer a smallish chain with a California focus, the Guild's role is crucial in the valley.
There's no question we've got a lot of challenges, and a lot of work, ahead of us. But we're not moping about the sad state of the newspaper industry and the the union movement (Well, maybe occasionally, over beers after work). Instead, we're building a better union. A new Guild for the new year.
Maybe I'm just feeling all warm and gushy because of the season -- or is it the egg nog? -- but I think things are looking good for the Guild. After an ugly summer that started (and continued for months) with dozens of layoffs at the Chronicle, and ended with the ANG unit having their union representation stolen from them, we've enjoyed a good couple of months. And we've got momentum on our side as we roll into 2008.
At the aforementioned Chronicle, members decided not to wallow in the post-buyout depression and instead use the opportunity to build a better unit. An enthusiastic group of new leaders has stepped forward and is hard at work recruiting and training new stewards, filling committees, rescuscitating the Chronicle Insider newsletter and coming up with lots of new ideas.
The disenfranchised ANG members have rallied, too. Despite having their union membership taken away (illegally, we believe), they've never given up. Dozens of them still pay union dues -- voluntarily and without payroll deduction -- and they've been active in trying to convince their new brethren and sistren at the Contra Costa Times that joining the Guild is the smart thing to do. As they say in their weekly newsletter: "We're still here. Don't believe the hype."
The effort to organize the Contra Costa Times is taking off. An organizing committee has formed and we hope to start collecting signed union cards in the months to come. In addition to the efforts of the ANG unit, a slew of Chronicle reporters offered their time and in some cases their homes to help with the organizing drive.
The McClatchy units -- at the Sacramento, Fresno and Modesto Bee newspapers -- are also getting stronger with new leadership, a new contract in Fresno, and more members signing up. With McClatchy no longer a smallish chain with a California focus, the Guild's role is crucial in the valley.
There's no question we've got a lot of challenges, and a lot of work, ahead of us. But we're not moping about the sad state of the newspaper industry and the the union movement (Well, maybe occasionally, over beers after work). Instead, we're building a better union. A new Guild for the new year.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Out of control
A couple of recent, little publicized events at the San Francisco Chronicle got me thinking about outsourcing and why it's such a bad idea. It's not just the loss of jobs, it's the loss of control.
Here's what got me thinking (Hey, something has to):
First, the Chronicle informed employees of its finance department that their work will be outsourced: transfered to Houston and/or North Carolina next spring. Many of the 30-40 people affected do have some Guild protections against being laid off. But they will face tough decisions about whether to move with their jobs, take buyouts or find work in other departments at the Chronicle. And the bottom line is that those are jobs that are being lost in San Francisco.
The second event was the subject of a tiny article in the newspaper but a much more expansive report on a local TV station, KGO, Channel 7. Apparently, an independent contractor who handles newspaper deliveries in Contra Costa County tossed into a dumpster paper records of vacationing subscribers who wanted their papers stopped. Some shrewd criminally minded types figured that out (Hmmmmmmmmmm...) and started dumpster diving, grabbing the records and breaking into houses while Chronicle readers were on vacation.
Clearly, the blame here belongs to the criminals and the sloppy habits of the independent contractor. But it's also the Chronicle's fault for outsourcing the work. When a company outsources work, it not only sheds costs, it loses control; it loses direct supervision; and it loses employees who have pride in their work and loyalty to their employer.
Yet, the outsourcing continues. How long will it take before employers begin to realize what it's really costing them?
Here's what got me thinking (Hey, something has to):
First, the Chronicle informed employees of its finance department that their work will be outsourced: transfered to Houston and/or North Carolina next spring. Many of the 30-40 people affected do have some Guild protections against being laid off. But they will face tough decisions about whether to move with their jobs, take buyouts or find work in other departments at the Chronicle. And the bottom line is that those are jobs that are being lost in San Francisco.
The second event was the subject of a tiny article in the newspaper but a much more expansive report on a local TV station, KGO, Channel 7. Apparently, an independent contractor who handles newspaper deliveries in Contra Costa County tossed into a dumpster paper records of vacationing subscribers who wanted their papers stopped. Some shrewd criminally minded types figured that out (Hmmmmmmmmmm...) and started dumpster diving, grabbing the records and breaking into houses while Chronicle readers were on vacation.
Clearly, the blame here belongs to the criminals and the sloppy habits of the independent contractor. But it's also the Chronicle's fault for outsourcing the work. When a company outsources work, it not only sheds costs, it loses control; it loses direct supervision; and it loses employees who have pride in their work and loyalty to their employer.
Yet, the outsourcing continues. How long will it take before employers begin to realize what it's really costing them?
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