Jun 9, 2011
Shop talk at the San Bernardino Sun
Reporters have begun organizing a union effort at the San Bernardino Sun, two sources tell me. This means contacting union representatives and circulating cards for an election. I don't know how far along they've gotten, but LANG, the paper's owner, has taken notice. At least two executives talked to management at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the Sun's sister paper, about how a bad union would be. More when I hear it...
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28 comments:
If this post had a "like" button, I'd click it.
Believe me, I am no fan of unions in general and newspaper unions in particular, but, way to go folks.
all of LANG should do this but they won't and they just broke the union at the PT in long beach.
20-30 years too late.
5:01
You're so right.
I joined my first newsroom union in the early 70's, unless you get the trucks to stop your sucking air.
Most journalist don't have the balls to take the fight to the floor.
If unions are so ineffectual why do they send in the suits to try to scare people off?
These ol' boys are tipping there hand.
Someone is scared and it isn't the employees.
come on, today's newspaper unions are about as effective as well, newspaper management.
I'm not a huge fan of unions, and newspaper unions are probably more ineffective and toothless than most. But, in this case, it might help with the goofy furlough and other underhanded tricks the LANG-sters have been pulling. But, of course, the company can just refuse to recognize the union, fire all the employees, and hire a new batch, at minimum wage. I wouldn't put it past them.
On the other hand, anything the editorial staff can do to make the suits start sweating is a good plan in my book.
unions at lang are useless unless you like paying dues. they have done nothing for the last four years...print outsourcing, plant closures, furloughs, vacation elimination, not to mention a host of other great moves.
Bad things will continue to happen to LANG workers, union or no. But for the past few years, the employees in non-union newsrooms have received a rawer deal than the unionized workers.
A union won't fix the problems that plague the company, but at least it will make it tougher for the suits to further cut pay and benefits and consolidate jobs.
It gives the employees a voice they currently do not have.
So true 7:16. Nice to see some Sun employees arent ready to just roll over and die. Dont let the sour grapes and misinformation get to you. LANG has never cared about its people. The proof is in the pudding.
also LANG's norcal counterparts at BANG formed a union several years ago and were able to stave off layoffs, at least temporarily. a union won't miraculously save LANG staff from pay cuts, furloughs, and layoffs, but at least you'll have a fighting chance to speak up. without it you'll remain a powerless cog in someone else's machine.
so delaying the final outcome is a voice? i think not. the union in my experience within lang/bang in the four years i have been around is useless and the record speaks volumes. we can disagree on the merits of a union, the unity is that the organization stinks from the top down.
Understandable but ... editorial union record in LA area newspapers is zilch, going back to the Her-Ex. All talk on both sides, no leverage for labor, endless rescheduled negotiating over set pieces, no hits, no wins, just what management would have paid anyway as the newspapers declined due to the endlessly discussed reasons. Boring kabuki theater. And its too late in the LANG newsrooms, too few people to organize and no clear purpose other than job security, which the bankrupt company/failing industry couldnt provide even if it wanted to (not that it wants to). Prognosis ... negative.
I like Norma Rae. She agrees with me.
Let's not get too excited. In my 15 years at the Daily Bulletin, there were four feeble attempts to form a union. None reached the sign-up stage.
Even if you get very excited, exactly what benefits will this paper sword provide? As someone said prior, a bankrupt company in a dying industry, and owners who frankly haven't given a crap for a long time if not forever. It won't allow you to keep your job, get your benefits back, get a raise, and have hope that the business is under good management.
Wow ! that is great!! It will be tough to get the Breeze, they still have fond memories of Copley. Soon they will get sick of the pounding and knock on the Union doors.
But how can you keep their loyalty with what they have done to the Press-Telegram Sports and Photo departments.
Good luck
Really !!! They tried to convince them what they are doing to them now is normal.
This is how the conversation went.
" No No No the Union is bad they take your money and you get nothing for it...... "
( 20 days furlough+ % 5 pay cut = $4,000 )
We would never force you to take vacation..no wait
We respect seniority... no wait
We give you reward you with bonuses..no wait
We have hired more content producers..no wait
We have original content ..no wait
We promise to give you the %5 back later ( wink )
We are not using your money to buy the OC Register
At least your Union dues would be tax deductible
are you serious? a heart attack could be tax deductible, but, i wouldn't want one. toothless union...good intentions, no benefits.
If it does nothing else but make management sweat and think it is worth it. Even if the 'thinking' is, well, a bit slow.
Unions at lang are useless unless you like paying dues. they have done nothing for the last four years...print outsourcing, plant closures, furloughs, vacation elimination.....
You blame the Union for that.!
The company is cutting up the newspapers like a rusted ship in India for scrap.
There is no re-build, but might as well go down swinging.
Hope the other papers have the courage to do the same thing.
Great Job Sun !
i dont blame the union for the crappy ownership, state of the industry or the economy. i do blame the union for being of no consequence in preventing all that has happened like plant closures, furloughs, lost vacation, salary cuts etc. they are toothless. they have been in that state for years and even if the union is approved it wont help. it does however make me smile that at least some additional crap is headed langs way.
You will be smiling ear to ear when you hear about the next move the Union is about to do.
it must be top secret with a hidden handshake and winks.
Like The OC Register deal.
Ooops or now no Deal The Price is Right when you lose tune.
Banmp ba dump waaaaaannn
So the guys that have been bad for the paper are claiming the union is bad for the paper?
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