Next Generation

    The Newspaper Guild has begun a national effort known as "The Next Generation" to get new people involved in Guild activities. With that in mind, our local has started a "Next Gen" Pittsburgh chapter. The idea is to get people together regularly who haven't traditionally been involved in the union, toss out ideas and talk about what we and the Guild can and should be doing to prepare for the future. It doesn't matter if you've been here 10 years or if you're an associate who just started or anything in between - we want to hear from people we haven't heard from before.

   The group, which has met once already, is hoping to get together once a month. The next meeting is set for the evening of Monday, Aug. 21. If you want to be included, contact R.J. Hufnagel, at ext. 1438, who will be coordinating the group's efforts and sharing its ideas with the Guild's executive board.

Guild’s annual picnic Aug. 26

  Bring your family and join fellow Guild members at the union’s annual picnic, Saturday, Aug. 26, at beautiful Sunset Beach in Washington County.

  Located about 40 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh, Sunset Beach offers the largest swimming pool in Western Pennsylvania, including a water slide, as well as volleyball, horseshoes, softball and a children’s playground with a crawl-through castle.

  The Guild will provide food and beverages, including barbecued chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers and salads.

  The picnic begins at 1 p.m., but the pool opens at noon for those who want to cool off early. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m.

  It’s especially important for planning purposes that if you plan to attend and bring y our children, send an e-mail to the Guild office at pghguild@verizon.net and let us know the number of people in your party and the ages of any children you will bring. For directions, go to sunsetbeachpark.net, click on Sunset Beach, then directions.

  See you there

Labor Day Parade

   With contract negotiations around the corner, it’s more important than ever that we show our solidarity and turn out in force for Pittsburgh’s annual Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 4.

   Wear your blue Guild shirt and plan to be at our usual meeting place behind Mellon Arena about 10:30 a.m. Extra Guild shirts and a continental breakfast will be available for the marchers.

   We’ll meet for brunch afterward provided by the Guild at the River City Inn. Bring the family and participate in this show of solidarity with our union brothers and sisters

Annual meeting Sept. 6

   Members can nominate officers for new terms and discuss topics for next year’s negotiations with the Post-Gazette at the local’s annual meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

   The meeting will be held in two sessions at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in the first floor meeting room of the United Steelworkers Building next door to the PG. Food and beverages will be provided.

Point Park legal battle continues

   Well, it’s back one square for the Guild in its ongoing legal chess match with Point Park University over the union’s right to represent its fulltime professors.

   The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 1 tossed the case back to the National Labor Relations Board for further clarification of the board’s 2004 conclusion that the professors were entitled to representation by the Guild. The college’s administration has continually argued that the professors are exempt from union representation based on a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court case that concluded professors at the private Yeshiva University were not entitled to organize because they had managerial and supervisory responsibilities.

   The NLRB at every level has upheld the right of the Point Park professors to union representation. The college appealed the NLRB’s decision to the federal appeals court last year. Stay tuned.

Negotiations update?

   Not much has happened regarding negotiations since the last Guild Facts prior to our membership meeting in June.

   Contrary to what recently appeared in the company newsletter, the PG’s unions have directly provided feedback to the company regarding negotiations – it’s just not what the company wants to hear. The Unity Council months ago told the company in writing that the “proposals” provided were unsatisfactory and that, unless the proposals change, we would not meet until obligated by our contracts in the fall. That’s where we stand.