AGREEMENT

 Agreement is made and entered into at Pittsburgh, PA this first day of January 2007, by and between the PG Publishing Company, a Corporation publishing the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, hereinafter known as the Company, and The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, a local chartered by The Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America, hereinafter known as the Guild.

 Witnesseth: In consideration of the mutual covenants set forth the Company and the Guild agree as follows:

 A.  During the period of this Agreement the Company recognizes the Guild as the sole collective bargaining agency, for itself and on behalf of all employees of the Company in the:

 EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

 and in all sub-divisions of the above mentioned departments, excluding those employees provided for in other existing Union Agreements.

 B.  Except such employees as are otherwise specifically provided for, all the conditions and benefits contained in this Agreement shall apply to all employees who now are or hereafter may be employed by the Company as set forth in Paragraph “A” above.  Entirely excepted from the provisions of this Agreement are the following positions:

 Publishers and Associate Publishers

 Excepted from all provisions except Article XIX, Paragraph 12, of this Agreement, are the following Positions    

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Executive Editor, Editor (1), Editor of the Editorial Page, Managing Editor (1), Deputy Managing Editor, Deputy Editorial Page Editor, Assistant Managing Editor, City Editor (1), Sports Editor (1), Sunday Editor, Technology Systems Editor, Business Editor, Night Operations Manager, Seen Editor, Associate Editor of Opinion Pages, Editorial Cartoonist, and Confidential Secretaries.

In no event will the number of employees excluded from the Agreement be more than 25 percent of the total of full-time equivalent employees represented by the Guild.  For example, if there are 140 full-time equivalent Guild employees the company may have 35 employees excluded, provided that they qualify as management personnel.

Also, no person under Guild jurisdiction will be arbitrarily named as a manager (excluded from the Agreement).

C. The kind of work either normally, or presently, performed within the unit covered by this Agreement and other work assigned to be performed within said unit, or work which replaces or displaces such work, is recognized as the jurisdiction of the Guild, and performance of such work shall be assigned to employees within the Guild's jurisdiction.

         Exempt employees can do bargaining unit work as performed in the past and/or similar work that may result from the introduction of new print, electronic or other products and as operationally necessary.  Performance of such exempt work will not displace bargaining unit employees.

  D. The Guild recognizes that stringers will continue to be utilized by the Post-Gazette to fulfill its obligation to report the news according to the following guidelines:

 1. Stringers who answer phones for sports will continue to use Company-owned equipment to input statistics, scores or other noncreative material.

 2. If the Company deems it necessary that stringers, with the exception of those covered under Paragraph 1 above, must work in the office, they will be considered part-time employees covered under Articles I, II and VI of this Agreement.

 3. The amount of money paid to stringers is based on a percentage of the annual Guild payroll.  Effective January 1, 2007, the maximum will be 10 percent of the annual Guild payroll. If the amount of stringer annual expenses should exceed the percentage outlined above, the company will match this excess with a payment into the Guild Pension Fund or other similar vehicle. This percentage may be changed by mutual agreement to meet operational needs.

 4. Community Journalism Initiative

 Recognizing the need to develop additional sources of revenue with electronic and print products, and to expand Post-Gazette readership, the Company agrees to work with the Guild in developing a community journalism initiative.

 Such products or enterprises may be paid or unpaid content from independent contractors, freelance journalists, photographers and videographers, as well as institutions, government agencies and community organizations.

 The company may continue to obtain content from commercial vendors, including, but not limited to, traffic and weather reports, maps, event calendars, dining guides, financial data and sports statistics.

 It is understood that such work will be under the supervision of the Post-Gazette through bargaining unit and exempt editors and is not intended to displace bargaining unit work.

 ARTICLE I

Guild Shop

 1.  The Company shall require as a condition of employment of an employee that he be and remain a member of the Guild in good standing no later than the 30th day following either (1) the date of the first Guild Shop Agreement legally enforceable under the Labor Management Relations Act, or (2) the date of hiring, whichever is later.

2.  There shall be no discharge of or other discrimination against any employee because of his membership or activity in the Guild.  There shall be no interference or attempt to interfere with the operation of the Guild.

3.  If any Guild member shall lose good standing by falling one (1) month in arrears in Guild dues including assessments, the Company shall, upon formal notice from the Guild, discharge said employee.

4.  The Guild agrees that it will admit to membership and retain in membership any employee qualified according to the Constitution of the Newspaper Guild and the by-laws of the Local Guild.

5.  The Company shall furnish the Guild president and treasurer in writing within one week of employment or transfer into Guild jurisdiction the following information:

(a) Name, address, minority group, sex, date of birth and Social Security number.

(b) Date of hire.

(c) Classification.

(d) Experience rating and experience anniversary date.

(e) Salary.

When the person hired or transferred is a replacement for an employee entering the military service, the name of the person whom he is replacing is to be furnished.

6.  Any employee who is discharged under the provisions of Section 1 and 3 shall receive no dismissal pay.

7.  Discharges under this Article shall not be subject to review by the Board of Arbitration.

ARTICLE II

Checkoff

1.  Upon an employee's voluntary written assignment, the Company shall deduct weekly from the earnings of such employee and pay to the Guild, not later than the 15th day of each month, all membership dues including assessments levied by the Guild for the current month.  Such membership dues including assessments shall be deducted from the employee's earnings in accordance with a schedule furnished the Company by the Guild on the first day of each month.  An employee's voluntary written assignment shall remain in effect in accordance with the terms of such assignment.

2.  The Company shall notify the Guild of any changes in classification salary or step-up in years of experience within one week of the date change becomes effective.

3.  The checkoff assignment shall be made upon the following form:

ASSIGNMENT AND AUTHORIZATION

TO CHECKOFF GUILD MEMBERSHIP DUES

INCLUDING ASSESSMENT

To:  P G PUBLISHING COMPANY

       and/or ASSIGNS, EMPLOYER

I hereby assign to the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, and authorize the Company to deduct from any salary earned or to be earned by me as his employee, an amount equal to all my Guild membership dues including assessments, as certified by the Treasurer of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, for each calendar month following the date of this assignment.

I further authorize and request the Company to remit the amount deducted to the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh not later than the 15th day of that month.

This assignment and authorization shall remain in effect until revoked by me, but shall be irrevocable for a period of one year from the date appearing below or until termination of the collective bargaining Agreement between yourself and the Guild, whichever occurs sooner.  I further agree and direct that this assignment and authorization shall be continued automatically and shall be irrevocable for successive periods of one year each or for the period of each succeeding applicable collective Agreement between the Company and the Guild, whichever period shall be shorter, unless written notice of its revocation is given by me to the Company and the Guild by registered mail not more than thirty (30) days and not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the expiration of each period of one year, or of each applicable collective Agreement between the Company and the Guild, whichever occurs sooner.  Such notice of revocation shall become effective for the calendar month following the calendar month in which the Company receives it.

This assignment and authorization supersedes all previous agreements and authorizations heretofore given by me in relation to my Guild membership dues including assessment.

Employee's Signature_______________________________________________________

Date_______________________________________

Indemnification of Company.  The Union shall defend, indemnify, and save the Company harmless against any and all claims, demands, suits, grievances, or other liability (including attorneys’ fees incurred by the Company) that arise out of or by reason of actions taken by the Company pursuant to Article II.

ARTICLE III

Classifications, Wages and Schedules of Minimums

Employees shall be paid weekly not less than the following wages in these classifications:

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

Provides original content for print and electronic publications and products.                              

Edits and produces original content for print and electronic publications, products, and slot.

Assigns work to content providers and content editors/producers and edit and produce content as necessary.

Provides newsroom, library and photo support as necessary.

 Provides newsroom support as necessary

 Provides newsroom support as necessary

 Performs various newsroom assignments as necessary 

 Performs various newsroom assignments as necessary

COST OF LIVING INCREASE

The provisions in this Cost of Living clause are suspended for the life of the current contract.

 A.  In addition to the basic rates of pay specified in this Agreement, all employees covered by this Agreement shall be paid a cost-of-living allowance to be determined and redetermined on the basis of the Consumer Price Index, City of Pittsburgh, Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W 1982-1984 Base), published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, as follows:

1.  If for the period November 1, 2006, through April 30, 2007, the aforesaid Index rises more than 6%, then additional wages shall be paid effective the first payroll period after May 1, 2007.

2.  If for the period November 1, 2006, through October 31, 2007, the aforesaid Index rises more than 6%, then additional wages shall be paid effective the first payroll period after November 1, 2007.

3.  If for the period November 1, 2007, through April 30, 2008, the aforesaid Index rises more than 6%, then additional wages shall be paid effective the first payroll period after May 1, 2008.

4.  If for the period November 1, 2007, through October 31, 2008, the aforesaid Index rises more than 6%, then additional wages shall be paid effective the first payroll period after November 1, 2008.

5.  If for the period November 1, 2008, through April 30, 2009, the aforesaid Index rises more than 6%, then additional wages shall be paid effective the first payroll period after May 1, 2009.

6.  If for the period November 1, 2008, through October 31, 2009, the aforesaid Index rises more than 6%, then additional wages shall be paid effective the first payroll period after November 1, 2009.

7.  If for the period November 1, 2009, through April 30, 2010, the aforesaid Index rises more than 6%, then additional wages shall be paid effective the first payroll period after May 1, 2010.

Notwithstanding the above, it is specifically understood that the maximum amount of increases paid pursuant to this cost-of-living clause shall not be more than 2% for the period November 1, 2006 through October 31, 2007, nor more than 2% for the period November 1, 2007, through October 31, 2008, nor more than 2% for the period November 1, 2009, through October 31, 2010.

To determine the amount of the wage increase, the parties shall multiply the percentage the Index exceeds 6%, but not greater than 8%, times the weighted average base contractual wage weekly scale of all employees represented by all craft unions and Teamsters.

No adjustment, retroactive or otherwise, shall be made because of any revision which may later be made in published figures in the Consumer Price Index.

1.             Employees shall receive a salary increase provided in the schedule of wage minimums or increases according to the following schedule of general increases, whichever is greater, but not both:

GENERAL INCREASE SCHEDULE

(Wages are frozen for the life of the current contract)

2.     The above wage minimums and the general increase need not apply to salaries of those who are on retirement or who are on extended sick leave.  The pay increases shall go into effect upon the employee's return to work.

3.             For the life of this Agreement there is to be no reduction in compensation of anyone covered by this Agreement except when the provisions of Article VIII, Paragraph 3, are implemented.

4.             In the application of the foregoing schedules of minimums, experience shall include all regular employment in comparable work.  In the event the Guild questions the job classification or experience status of any employee within forty-five (45) days from start of employment, adjustment, if any, will be made retroactive to the start of employment.  If such question is raised after forty-five (45) days from start of employment, adjustment, if any, will be effective on the date that the Guild brought the question to the attention of the Company.

5.             Copy messengers or clerks may be assigned to the duties of a reporter, artist or photographer as a beginner for a period of six months as a preparation for his own training as an experienced newspaperman, but if still in college shall be paid the applicable intern rate for the duration of the trial period.  However, if his work fails to meet the required standard or if the position is discontinued the employee shall have his choice of dismissal pay or return to his former duties.  A copy messenger or clerk who has graduated from college and is assigned to the duties of a reporter, artist, photographer or copy reader shall receive the beginner salary for the assigned classification.

6.             Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent employees from bargaining individually for pay increases.  The minimum wage rates established herein are minimums only; individual merit shall be acknowledged by increases above the minimums.

7.             Any new classification established by the Company shall be subject to negotiations between the Company and the Guild.

8.             (a) Effective January 1, 1982, an employee temporarily transferred to a higher classification shall receive differential pay according to the following schedule:

 copy messenger to clerk -- minimum salary differential

copy messenger to reporter/editor -- minimum salary differential

News assistant, clerk to reporter/editor -- minimum salary differential

                  b) Daily differentials will be paid to employees who are assigned to higher classifications for greater than 50% of a shift. The differential to be paid shall be determined by dividing the monetary difference between the classifications by five (5) to establish a daily payment.

 Employees in the copy messenger and clerk classifications may work up to 40 percent of their time in higher classifications before receiving the weekly minimum salaries for the higher classifications.  They will receive daily differentials.

 (c)  The above is not intended to change present practices in cases where an employee substitutes in part for an employee in a department head or comparable capacity without assuming the full responsibility.  In case of a long illness or absence of such an employee, the Company may assign another employee as "acting" and additional compensation shall be arranged between the employee, the Company and the Guild in direct relation to the amount of responsibility to be assumed by such substitute.

Effective January 1, 2003, the Harrisburg correspondent will receive a salary differential of $20 a week. (Letter dated May 10, 2002, addresses conditions under which the differential will be paid.)

9.  An employee hired above the minimum for his actual experience shall be given an experience rating in the minimum bracket comparable with his salary.

10.  Employees may be upgraded to the next highest experience rating with anniversary date changed to the date of upgrading.  Merit increases above minimums shall be maintained through the succeeding experience step-ups without change of anniversary date until the employee is either upgraded to a higher experience rating or until the top minimum is reached.

     11.  Effective January 1, 2003, a one-time service bonus of $250 for all employees with 10 or more years of service. Thereafter, the bonus will be paid when an employee completes his/her 10th year of service. Effective January 1, 2004, a one-time service bonus of $500 for all employees with 20 or more years of service. Thereafter, the bonus will be paid when an employee completes his/her 20th year of service. As of Jan. 1, 2007, all service bonuses will be diverted to the Guild Pension Plan for the life of the current contract.

ARTICLE IV

Hours

1.  No employee eligible for Guild membership shall work more than seven and one-half hours per day within an eight and one-half consecutive hour period, nor more than five days per week with the following exceptions:

With the approval of the Company, full-time employees may work a four-day work week (for a regular week’s pay) consisting of three 9 ½-hour days and one 9-hour day. By mutual agreement, full-time employees also may work a six-day week of not more than 37-1/2 hours. The Company will notify the Guild of such an arrangement. During holiday weeks, all full-time employees will be scheduled for a five-day week. 

Beat reporters who cover major sports are exempt from overtime provisions but shall receive additional vacation in a formula mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Guild.

2.  A regular schedule of working hours shall be maintained for all employees.  No less than three days' notice shall be given in advance of any change in an employee's working schedule, where possible.  Schedules of holiday work in the editorial department shall be posted two weeks in advance of the holiday, where possible.

3.  Wherever possible, days off shall be consecutive days.

4.  It is mutually agreed that the Company is entitled to service for the full unit of hours constituting a day's work or night's work or week's work as prescribed in this Agreement.

5.  A differential of $3 per shift will be paid to an employee who begins his/her shift on or after 2 p.m. As of Jan. 1, 2007, all night differentials will be diverted to the Guild Pension Plan for the life of the current contract. This shall apply only so long as the employee is assigned to such shifts.

6.  Time spent by employees traveling to and from assignments in the Tri-State area shall be considered as part of the working day.  Exceptions: Trips outside the Tri-State area, sports beats and self-initiated assignments.

7.  Nothing in this Article shall be construed so as to interfere with the completion of assignments by employees nor the performance of emergency assignments.

By arrangement with the Company, employees who elect to reduce their work week to fewer than  37-1/2 hours shall be considered flex-time employees.  They shall designate a period not to exceed 12 months that they will remain in that status. 

A. Upon expiration of the 12-month (or shorter) period, the employee may return to full-time status. If the employee elects to extend his/her flex time beyond 12 months, any return to full-time status will be determined by the availability of work. If no slots are available, (a hiring freeze implies that no slots are available) the flex time status will continue until a mutually agreeable job closest to his/her experience becomes available. For the first three months of the reduced work week, the employee’s health insurance coverage will be unchanged. After three months, the Company will pay a portion of the health/dental/optical insurance premium based on the number of hours worked per week. For example, if the employee works three days a week, the Company will be responsible for 60 percent of the premium. For purposes of security under Article VIII, flex-timers shall be treated the same as full-time employees.

      B. By seniority, flex-time employees will have the opportunity to return to full time status

whenever a two-year associate is hired.  The flex-time employee will have only one opportunity to return to full-time status. If he/she refuses to return to full-time status, he/she loses the right to return under the provisions of this paragraph.

ARTICLE V

Overtime

1.  Overtime shall be defined as work beyond 40 hours in the work week.  Overtime shall be worked when required by the Company, except in case of illness, emergencies or exceptional situations.

2.  Overtime beyond 40 hours in any one week shall be paid for at time and one-half of the regular rate of pay, except where otherwise provided for in this Agreement. Work performed between 37 ½ hours and 40 hours shall be paid at the straight time rate.

3.  A full-time employee required to return to work after his regular working day shall be paid for the time worked, but not less than four hours. An employee authorized to contribute to the Post-Gazette electronically outside his regular working day shall be compensated for actual time worked, but not less than one hour at the employee’s current rate.

4.  An employee called to work on his day off shall be compensated at the rate of time and one-half, but not less than a day's pay in addition to his regular weekly salary.

5. Overtime shall be reported in writing to the Company or his representative within ten days after the overtime is worked.  The Company shall cause a record of all overtime to be kept.  Specified overtime records shall be made available to the Guild on request.

6. On out-of-town assignments:

(a) Overtime at time and one-half shall be paid for all work beyond 10 hours in any one work day and beyond 40 hours in any one work week.

(b) Provided, however that prolonged out-of-town assignments shall be exempted from these provisions. Employees covering breaking news stories will continue to be covered by Paragraph (a).

ARTICLE VI

Part-time, Temporary Employees and Two-Year Associates

      1. The total number of two-year associates, paid interns and employees averaging less than 37 ½ hours per week cannot exceed 35 percent of the Guild membership.

    2. Part-time employees shall assume all of the obligations of this Agreement and shall receive its benefits on a proportionate basis unless stated otherwise elsewhere in this contract as their respective work week compares with a full work week of 37 ½ hours. It is understood that part-time employees may work full time to cover absences due to vacation, sick leave and other leaves of absences.

     3. It shall be a policy of the Company to pay part-time employees who average individually less than 19-3/8 hours per week not less t