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Vol XI, No. 17b

TNG/CWA Local 31041

February 2, 2000

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Comparison of The Providence Journal Company and Guild Proposals

	company	GUILD
Pay raise	3 % each of three years Reporter annual raises: $1,526; $1,572; $1,619 Janitor annual raises: $ 788; $ 812; $ 836	4 % first year; 5 % each of last two years Reporter annual raises: $2,035; $2,646; $2,778. Janitor annual raises: $1,051; $1,366; $1,434.
Health Insurance	3 health plan choices: United HMO, United, CIGNA POS, plus Merck-Medco prescription coverage. Rate cap: employee pays 15 % of current premium. Company has right to switch to ``substantially equivalent’’ plans. Guild estimates United HMO will cost nearly $500 more this year, because of higher premium copays and user fees. Two month waiting period for new employees to be covered.	5 health plan choices: Blue Cross Classic, Cost-to-Coast, and BlueCHiP HMO; also: United HM0; UNITED POS. Rate cap: employee pays no more than 15 % of previous year’s premium. Employee pays no more than 50 percent of year-to-year increase in premiums. For Blue Cross, company may substitute ``equivalent’’ coverage.
Dental	MetLife dental plan Participating dentists: 188	Delta Dental Participating dentists: 551
Pension	Providence Journal Co. plan Generally pays lower benefits than Belo plan. (Example, age 58 worker earning $47,000 now, would get $30,563 yearly at age 65 retirement, $8,694 more than Journal benefit of $21,869. Calculates benefit just on base pay. Higher early retirement offsets. Bargaining reopener in late 2001 for pensions.	Belo Corp. plan or Providence Journal, whichever pays more. Belo plan: Generally pays higher benefits. More liberal early retirement Factors in overtime, commissions, which can increase the benefit by 3 to 7 % Offered to non-Guild workers.
401k retirement	Providence Journal Co. plan Company automatically contributes $2.10 per shift, up to $10.50, per week. Company contributes $3 a week if worker puts in between 2 and 15 % of pay. Benefits lower paid workers who don’t contribute own money. Company benefit of $546 to $702 a year. Bargaining reopener in late 2001 for 401k	Belo Corp plan, or Providence Journal Co. plan, whichever preferred by worker. Belo automatic contribution: None. Belo matching contribution: 55 percent of employee contribution, up to 6% of salary, paid in Belo stock. (Contribution can range from zero dollars a year up to $1,980 for $60,000-a-year worker making maximum contribution).
Holiday	Drops one of two personal holidays, for new total of 10 paid holidays. Equivalent loss of one day’s pay a year. Under company’s 3 percent pay offer, that’s $201 for a reporter; $104 for janitor.	11 paid holidays
Vacation	Increases the waiting period for a 3rd week of vacation from three to five years. For new workers, it’s equivalent to the loss of two weeks’ pay.	Increases the waiting period for 3rd weeks of vacation, as trade-off for adoption of other Belo benefits. Equivalent to loss of two weeks’ earnings. Would not take affect until 2002.
Pre-publishing	Raises the pay of operators, but reduces scale of newly-hired specialists. Guild contends duties of higher paid specialists are being transferred to operators. Company allowed to change schedules without union recourse to grievance procedure. No language to limit use of temporary workers.	Would reclassify operators as specialists, in line with increased job duties. Currently, experienced operators are paid $640 a week; specialists, $849.
Advertising	No voice for employees in incentive plans.	An incentive committee of 3 Guild and 3 company members to adjust incentive plans, with disputes to be resolved by binding arbitration.
Parking	"Free parking" or mass transit bus passes. But the program would be outside the contract. What the company has said in writing is that it "may be changed or eliminated" by the company. Only available to employees working 22.5 hours or more. Company also would eliminate current contract language which provides for subsidized parking. $10,000 lump sum settlement distributed among eligible workers in settlement of parking arbitration award.	Free parking benefit written into the contract for all employees and irregular extras, dropping current provisions for subsidized parking. Guild has calculated the arbitration award for its successful grievance on denial of subsidized parking at up to $400,000.
	company	GUILD
Unfair labor Practice charges, grievances.	Requires Guild to agree to drop pending unfair labor practices charges and grievances. Some of these relate to the company’s apparently illegal bargaining scheme of declaring ``impasse’’ and implementing its medical and holiday and vacation take-backs.
Part-time workers		Part-time workers shall select workdays on basis of seniority Extra part-time hours to be offered on basis of seniority, according to availability list. Part-time workers must receive at least regularly scheduled straight-time pay during holiday week.
Reporter 2-year interns	No change. Currently interns get $491 both years; reporter entry scale with 3 percent would be $577.	In second year, pay to first step in reporter scale. Currently interns get $491 both years; reporter entry scale with 4 % would be $583.
Vision	Vision Service Plan, employee pays 100 percent of premium Drops company-paid eye exams, glasses for new computer users now in contract.	Vision Service Plan, with weekly employee premium contribution of $1.43 for individuals, $3 for family coverage.
Small grid	Increases in differential for workers substituting in higher positions. Example: national ad manager would go from $6.68 to $12.15. All differentials increased by general hike in years 2 & 3. Employees substituting in higher classifications shall get difference between regular and substitute scales, not less than $2.50 per day	Increases in differential for workers substituting in higher positions. Example: national ad manager would go from $6.68 to $12.15. All differentials increased by general hike in years 2 & 3. Employees substituting in higher classifications shall get difference between regular and substitute scales, not less than $2.50 per day
Bonus	Guild to be included in company ``Profit Performance Bonus’’ plan, with benefit determined solely by company on same basis as other workers. Drops the current gainsharing program.	Guild to be included in company ``Profit Performance Bonus’’ plan, with benefit determined solely by company on same basis as other workers. Drops the current gainsharing program.
Employee assistance	Behavioral health care assistance to employees and dependents, 24-hour phone support, 6 counseling visits.	Behavioral health care assistance to employees and dependents, 24-hour phone support, 6 counseling visits.
Job sharing	No change in contract, which gives company sole right to allow arrangement.	Company must allow arrangement unless it would result in unreasonable cost.
Parental leave	No change.	Workers returning from parental leave may work part-time if work is available and company determines is qualified. Leave and part-time can’t exceed one year.
Sick pay	3 of 5 sick days may be used for ``family illness.’’	3 of sick days may be used for ``family illness.’’ Unused sick time can be accumulated year to year, up to 15 days.
Life insurance	Increases benefit to two times base salary for employees with 22.5 hours or more.	Benefit increased to two times base salary;
Accident insurance	Travel accident benefit increased from $35,000 to 1 ½ times base salary, minimum of $100,000.
Long term disability	The benefit is increased from 50 to 60 percent of salary, and the monthly maximum from $3,000 to $10,000.	Company increases benefit to from 50 to 60 % of income, maximum from $3,000 to $10,000 a month. Employees have option of purchases up to 70% replacement income at rate of 27-cents per $100 coverage.
Adoption	Up to $3,000 for adoption expenses, maximum lifetime benefit, $9,000.	Up to $3,000 for adoption expenses, maximum lifetime benefit, $9,000.
Dependent care	A 100 percent company match, up to $20 a week, to employee contribution to dependent care account.	A 100 percent company match, up to $20 a week, to employee contribution to dependent care account.
Health care spending`	Employees allowed to contribute ``pre-tax’’ earnings to health care spending accounts	Employees allowed to contribute ``pre-tax’’ earnings to health care spending accounts
Car allowance and mileage	No change in car allowance. Overages in regular car allowances revised to 22-cents a mile up to 29-cents, depending on gas prices.	Car allowance increased from $43.50 to $45 a week. Overages in regular car allowances revised to 22-cents a mile up to 29-cents, depending on gas prices.