TAXI STOP?
Reporter denied a ride to Johnston;
candidate forced to come to Journal

The taxi company used by reporters and other Journal workers today declined to take a reporter to Johnston for an election campaign interview, saying that a newspaper executive had told the company not to provide voucher rides outside the city of Providence.

The development appeared to be a response on the part of the company to the Guild's work-to-rule campaign.

As of this morning, the Guild was unable to learn from the company if there has been a change in transportation rules.

As part of work-to-rule - in which union members follow contract mandates to the letter and no more - many newsroom-based reporters, who aren't required to use their cars for company business, have been using cabs and other kinds of public transportation to get to assignments.

Some of those taxi trips have proved to be expensive.

A reporter who went to the ACI in Cranston for an interview ran up a bill of more than $30; another went to North Smithfield, for a round trip worth more than $50; a third went to a Warwick campaign headquarters to pick up a
commercial, resulting in a $55 round trip, tip included. Nearly every cab trip costs more than the minimum $5.40 per diem car allowance.

This morning, Karen Lee Ziner phoned East Side taxi that she needed a cab to go to Johnston town hall, where she had arranged to interview a political candidate, Kenneth Proulx, an independent running for U.S. Senate.

"Is that cash?" the cab official said.

No, Ziner said

"It's not allowed," the taxi company man responded. "Patricia Welker called me up and said there are no more taxis, except if you are going within Providence."

Ziner relayed this to a city editor, who said he was unaware of any change and would look into it. She then said she would ask whether the candidate would come to the Journal building. Ziner paged Proulx, who drove to the newspaper.

The result, Ziner said later, was potentially a less-well-rounded story. She had hoped to follow the candidate around, and see him working in his own environment. Further, she said, the change was rude to the candidate.

"We inconvenienced this guy," she said.

The Guild was not immediately able to find out if there is a changed taxi-use policy.

Tim Schick, the Guild administrator, telephoned Tom McDonough, the human resources chief, who said he knew reporters were using cabs, but was unaware of the situation related by Ziner. He told Schick that he would look into it.

In the past, many reporters used their own cars, even though it's often been a break-even or even money-losing proposition.

Unlike state staff bureau reporters and advertising sales persons, general assignment and beat reporters based in Providence do not get a regular monthly car allowance, nor do they get free parking.

Instead, if they use their cars to get to assignments, they pay for their own parking and then put in for a per-mile car allowance, or the minimum $5.40 per-day rate provided in the contract.

But this is entirely voluntary on the reporters' part.

Recently, for example, a Guild member who works downtown was discussing the company's car-use policy with Welker, saying it was his opinion that if a reporter used his or her car on a particular day, he or she should have downtown parking costs paid, in addition to per-mile car allowance.

When Welker disagreed, he then asked whether it would be okay to take a cab to do a story at the Central Landfill in Johnston. Welker replied unequivocally: "If you need to do a story and take a cab to the Central Landfill, we will pay for it."

Earlier this summer, Guild members discussed whether they should withdraw their personal car "fleet" as part of work-to-rule.

The Guild membership had authorized a work-to-rule program in response to the company's foot-dragging over negotiating a new contract.

Some of the reporters found the cab use quite efficient. They said it used less time, since they didn't have to hike to parking spots, and could review notes and tapes on the ride back from assignments.

For example, one reporter used cabs to go to political debates - ordering the return cab in advance so that he wouldn't have to wait to return to the newsroom, wasting valuable deadline minutes.

Schick, the Guild administrator, said that Guild members should keep records of what they are being told about transportation issues.

Guild members who run into transportation problems because of limitations placed on cab use by the Company should discuss them with their supervisors. Employees are not required to use their own money for company-related expenses. However, if you do, it is recommended that advance authorization be obtained before you dip into your own pockets.

The Guild is looking into possible contract and other legal violations by the company in regard to the incident.