The long cold winter got you down? We have the cure -- the annual Guild spring party to mark our local's 70th anniversary.

This year's gathering will be Saturday, April 17, 70 years to the day that our local was founded. The party will start at 8 p.m. at our usual location--the River City Inn on the Boulevard of the Allies at Market Street. All active and retired Guild members from our Pittsburgh and Monessen units and their guests are invited to this free, casual-dress event. No tickets or RSVP are required -- just come and have a great time!

As in years past, this party will feature an open-bar and a wide assortment of hot and cold snacks.

In addition, all Guild members at the party will have a chance to win one of 20 pairs of tickets for weekend Pirate games. Members must be in attendance at the 10 p.m. drawing to win. Those scheduled to work for the Post-Gazette at the time of the drawing but who wish to have their name entered should e-mail their request to Mike Fuoco > no later than April 16 at 4 p.m.

We'll honor former Guild member Ray Burnett for his many years of service with the Post-Gazette and the good labor relations during his tenure. We'll also pay tribute to two current and 19 former members of our Monessen unit who, two days short of 25 years ago, walked off their jobs at The Valley Independent, the start of a 13 1/2-month strike for such basic collective bargaining linchpins as seniority.

Our local's attorney, Joe Pass, who will be at the party, has said the strike by 21 Guild members was one of the most courageous labor actions he's ever been seen nationally. So, try to make it, whether you can come early and stay late or can stop by only for a beverage and a bite. We look forward to seeing you.

Any day now, the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board will issue its ruling on whether the fulltime professors at Point Park University can hold a representative election to join the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh.

The Guild last fall filed a petition with the NLRB to represent 68 Point Park professors. Unfortunately, the college challenged the petition under a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court case in an effort to deprive their employees of the democratic right to decide for themselves whether to join a union.

The union and the college filed legal briefs on Feb. 13 after 20 days of testimony in a hearing that lasted nearly three months. If the Guild receives a favorable ruling from the regional NLRB office, it should lead to an election among the professors by June. However, if the college decides to appeal - and we're hoping they don't - it could delay the election for quite some time. Stay tuned.

The union also has filed a grievance over the company's termination of a circulation district manager who was on extended sick leave. The company contends the employee failed to produce satisfactory medical information and failed to keep the company apprised of his medical condition despite repeated requests.

There is a bit of good news from Monessen - the Guild has withdrawn a request for arbitration over the layoff of an advertising clerk last summer. That's because the employee, Mychelle Navarra, has been rehired. The Guild contended in a grievance filed last year that the company did not follow the proper contractual procedure in the layoff. Mychelle's first day back on the job will be Monday, March 29 - the same day scheduled for her arbitration. Coincidence?

Off the Record IV, again co-sponsored by the Newspaper Guild and AFTRA, is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Byham Theater. Mark your calendars now. Expect more of the same hilarity as in the past but with an even greater level of fund-raising for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, thanks to the volunteer efforts of OTR supporter Linda Dickerson. Details for casting and production of the show will follow in coming months from Chris Rawson.

Any new volunteers offering help with the many non-production details should contact Gary Rotstein.