Gary Rotstein proposes gridiron show

It's showtime !

At the April 18 membership meeting, Guild members approved union sponsorship of a fall Gridiron Show, lampooning local politicians and news events at a charitable fund-raising dinner that would bring together local media and newsmakers for a fun, perhaps riotous evening.

Guild members will carry a responsibility in three ways to make the show a success: (1) Handle the logistics of putting the evening together; (2) Perform in the show itself with a bare minimum of singing, acting, hamming ability required; (3) Buy tickets to attend the show.

The most immediate need is to assemble volunteers who will serve on committees. Aside from the production of the show, we need people who can participate in ticket sales and marketing; will identify and coordinate with the right charitable cause; will plan and prepare the printed program distributed at the show; and more.

About two dozen members put down their names as volunteers at the recent Guild meetings. More volunteers are needed and encouraged. Please send an e-mail to coordinator Gary Rotstein if you could lend a hand in any way, and be prepared to attend a general Gridiron meeting to be announced shortly that will establish the committees.

Also, whether you can volunteer or not, please e-mail to Rotstein any suggestions and information you have on worthy, local charitable causes that should be considered worthy of the $5,000 to $10,000 that the show might raise in profits.

Overtime, not comp time
The Guild successfully won two hours of overtime for a member. A manager tried to convert the two hours into
compensatory time.

Remember -- the contract is very clear on overtime. It is paid in cash. Period. If a manager should try to subvert the contract by waving comp time instead of overtime to you, let us know.

Mike's on the mend
President Mike Bucsko injured his left hand -- yes, he's left- handed -- in a home accident. He's been off work since April 23rd.

Mike has had surgery. He's wearing a cast and is very tired because from the medication.

When he returns to the office, there will be several more weeks of rehabilitation to rebuild the strength in his hand.

If you've got a matter that needs the Guild's attention, pass it along to any officer.

Tentative agreement in Monessen
Our Monessen unit has a tentative four-year agreement after less than a half-dozen bargaining sessions with the Scaife empire.

The old agreement expired at midnight April 30 and the four-member bargaining committee reached a settlement with about 5 hours to spare.

The unit, which consists of about 34 members in the newsroom, advertising department and maintenance staff of The Valley Independent, won improvements in salary (3 percent per year for 4 years), pension, disability insurance and mileage reimbursement.

TNG is reviewing the proposal. Ratification is pending.

Need a quiet moment?
There is now a sofa in the small (very small) conference room in Features, across from the copy desk.

Members should know that if they feel ill they can use the sofa, but they should make sure that if they close the door, it should not be locked, in case they get even sicker and need to be rescued.

For the latest news, just click
Our website has the latest news regarding Guild matters that occur in between Guild Facts issues. Just click on the "Latest News" button on our home page.

And, check out the new photos on our site. Remember -- make it one your favorites. The address: www.pghguild.com.

Save this for handy reference
Ergonomics tip sheet

Do you consider yourself a master at cradling the phone and typing at the same time? Well, stop it!

You're buying yourself a world of hurt. Raising your shoulder and squeezing that telephone for prolonged periods can lead to cervical spine, muscular and ligament injuries.

That was one of the messages at an ergonomic training session conducted by Travelers Insurance for a small group of PG employees. The session involved cooperation of the Guild and the company. Representing the newsroom were Guild Health & Safety Committee members Ed Blazina and Barb Vancheri and the company's representative was Laurie Hanson.

The Guild would like to see such training be made available for all employees but in the meantime, here are tips on how to stay healthy so you can keep typing those news stories, briefs and obits for years to come:

** Use a phone headset. If you need one, see Ed, Laurie or Barb who will relay requests for that and other equipment such as footrests, keyboard trays and document holders to the right people. They also can provide you with an illustration about the ideal work station setup and advice based on what they learned.

** Carpal tunnel is caused by excess force (the average typist uses four times the amount of force needed, so lighten your touch), poor posture and repetition. Sit up straight. Place your keyboard AND monitor directly in front of you. If you have the monitor in the corner of the desk, you are twisting your neck or body.

** Keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle. That may require using your keyboard tray, which should be kept horizontal, not angled. Do not prop your wrists on the wrist rest while typing; your hands should float over the keys and rest on the padding when not typing.

** The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. If a phone book underneath doesn't work for you, there are plastic stackables we can get.

** Rest your feet firmly on the floor or on a footrest. Keep your thighs approximately parallel to the floor. Don't press the back of your knees into the chair.

** To avoid glare, don't sit with the window facing you or at your back.

** If you wear bifocals or trifocals, consider getting glasses strictly for computer use. Get into position and measure the distance from your eyes to the screen (recommended is at least 12 inches, could be 18) and have lenses ground for that. If you can't figure this out, talk to your eye doctor. To cut down on expense, use an old pair of frames. We won't laugh. Honest.

** Keep the brightness on your screen to a minimum and the contrast to a maximum. Look for the sun (brightness) and circle (contrast) logos on the lower right; adjustment wheels are underneath. If you tint your screen, avoid reds and violets and stick with green.

** If you have a task light, focus it on the document, not the screen. Be mindful of your neighbors if you use a desk lamp.

** If you've doing a lot of typing, try switching to another task (calls, filing, research, iced tea run). Or periodically drop your arms, relax your shoulders and stare into the distance for 10 seconds.