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:
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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_______________________________________________________
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.
Employees shall be paid weekly not less than the
following wages in these classifications:
Provides original content for print and electronic
publications and products.
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 weeks 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 employees 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
employees 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 than an hourly basis equivalent to
the weekly wage minimum for the classification of work in which they are
employed. Such part-time employees may work less than 19-3/8 hours per
week in a four-day period without exceeding 10 hours in any one day. All
benefits for these employees, unless stated otherwise elsewhere, will be
proportionate to the number of hours regularly worked during the week.
4. Provisions of this Agreement shall not
apply in the case of temporary employees hired for a special project.
The Guild shall be notified in writing as to the nature of such project
and its duration. Temporary employees may be hired to cover
absences of other employees due to vacations, sick leaves, leaves of
absence, etc. for up to eight months, a period which may be extended by
mutual agreement between the Company and the Guild. These employees will
be covered only by Articles I, II and VI of this Agreement.
Furthermore, it is understood that temporary employees will not be
replaced with other temporary employees after the eight-month period of
employment, except by mutual agreement between the Company and the
Guild. Temporary employees whose positions are extended beyond twelve
(12) months shall receive one weeks vacation.
5. Part-time and, or temporary employees shall not
be employed where, in effect, such employment would eliminate or
displace a regular full-time employee.
ARTICLE VII
Sick Leave
1. Sick leave shall be
calculated on an anniversary year basis. The company will provide eight
(8) days sick pay annually which may be taken only when an employee is
unable to work due to illness. The company can request that an employee
furnish a doctors certificate or other reasonable proof when absent for
three (3) consecutive days or more.
2.
An employee shall receive a normal week's salary for a period of his or
her incapacitation. There shall be no holiday premium pay during
the sick leave period.
3. Short-term disability
(a) Employees can accumulate the above eight days per year during their
employment to a maximum of 90 days per year. Only unused days during the
year will be carried over to the maximum of 90 days total. These
accumulated days will constitute a short-term disability bank which can
be used for any illness of five (5) days or longer. This benefit will
begin on the 6th work day of disability. The five days will constitute a
waiting period.
All employees on the payroll on 1/1/07 will be provided an initial bank
of 7 days short term disability pay per full year of service to a
maximum of 70 days. These days are part of the maximum accumulation of
ninety (90) days.
(b) If an employee
exhausts his sick pay and short-term disability bank, the employee will
be eligible for 26 weeks of additional sick leave at 60 percent of the
employees negotiated rate of pay for those employees with two years or
more of service. Those employees with less than two years service will
be eligible for 13 weeks of additional sick leave. Details of this
extended short-term disability plan are available from the Human
Resources Director.
(c) An employee who
exhausts his disability bank shall earn additional sick leave benefits
according to the following schedule: For one year of uninterrupted
employment - 55 percent of maximum short-term disability schedule; two
years of uninterrupted employment 85 percent of maximum short-term
disability schedule; three years of uninterrupted employment - 100
additional percent of maximum short-term disability schedule.
The maximum regeneration
under this program will be 70 days. Unused individual sick days will
continue to be accumulated into the bank until the 90-day maximum is
reached.
Sick pay and/or the
short-term disability bank are not considered earned and will not be
paid out upon termination of employment, including retirement.
4. This program will
become effective as of the date of ratification. Benefit payments under
the prior Guild sick leave plan will continue for those employees on
sick leave as of the date of ratification.
5. If an employee becomes ill or injured
while on vacation, sick leave will not start until the end of the
scheduled vacation period. However, an employee who becomes ill or
injured before his scheduled vacation begins shall have the right to
reschedule his vacation.
6. No employee shall be entitled to sick pay
for the period of any absence due to an injury incurred working for any
other current employer.
7. Sick leave payments shall terminate upon
termination of employment or death of the employee.
8. If there is a pattern of apparent abuse by
an individual, the Company has the right to establish a three-day
waiting period for sick leave for that individual.
9. An employee cannot accrue sick leave or use sick
leave benefits for any purpose other than illness or injury.
10. Employees claiming benefits under this
Section shall, upon request, submit to an examination by a doctor or
doctors designated and paid for by the Company.
11. In all cases of compensable accident,
amounts paid under Worker's Compensation shall be deducted from any
amount paid by the Company, as in the past.
12. Company agrees to notify the Guild when sick
leave pay is reduced or discontinued.
ARTICLE VIII
Security
1. There shall be no discharge as a result of
putting this Agreement into effect.
2. Discharges may be either (1) for good and
sufficient cause or (2) to reduce the force, which latter shall be
construed as synonymous with discharges for economy.
3. Discharges for causes are subject to
review under Article XVI, Adjustment of Disputes. The Company's
right to determine the size of his force is recognized and his right to
reduce the force for economy (either permanently or temporarily) shall
not be subject to review by the Board of Arbitration, provided, however,
that in the event the Guild believes that reasons other than economy
have entered into the designation of the person or persons to be laid
off, it may appeal the particular case or cases to arbitration.
Stringers and free lancers in no case will replace or displace
bargaining unit employees.
4.
A. Layoffs to reduce the force, as distinguished from dismissals
for just and sufficient cause, shall not be made until the Company
notifies the Guild thirty (30) days in advance that such layoffs are
necessary and that no reasonable alternative exists.
B. The Company shall notify the Guild of any
proposed layoffs to reduce the force, specifying the job title, number
of employees, and the facts upon which the Company relies to establish
the necessity pursuant to Section 4A above.
C. In the event such layoffs are necessary, the following procedures
shall be observed:
(1) Voluntary incentives as designed by the Company
may first be offered for a reduction in force after consultation with
the Guild.
(2) Eliminate twenty (20%) percent of the stringer
budget and all intern programs.
(3) If additional reductions are necessary, the
Company may, in seniority order, lay off in the following order:
(a) The two (2) junior employees in the category of
employees who work less than 19-3/8 hours per week.
(b) The two (2) junior employees in the part-time
category of employees who work more than 19-3/8 hours per week.
(c) One (1) junior employee in the category of two
(2) year associates.
(d) The most junior employee from the full time
employee category.
(4) If one cycle through the above categories is
insufficient, the Company shall then eliminate fifteen (15) percent of
the remaining stringer budget.
(5) Any subsequent layoffs shall repeat the
procedures outlined in 4C above. In the event no employees remain
in categories other than those in full time regular employment status,
the Company shall reduce each remaining full time employee's salary to
ninety-five (95%) percent of the employee's then current salary. If
further layoffs are required, the process will revert to Paragraph
4C(3)(d) above.
(6) In the event of recall, the recall shall be in
reverse order of layoff. Such recall rights will last 12 months from the
date of the employees layoff.
(7) The Company will forward notice of recall by
certified mail to the Guild and to the last known address of the
employee reflected on Company records. The employee must, within seven
(7) calendar days of delivery or attempted delivery of the notice of
recall, notify the Company of his/her intent to return to work on the
date specified for recall and, therefore, return to work on such date.
D. In the event a laid off employee is not recalled within a year or is
not employed elsewhere, severance pay based on his actual time of
employment will be paid.
E. An employee laid off as a result of the provisions of this clause
will continue to receive their health/life insurance benefits for a
period of three (3) months under the same conditions that applied when
he/she was on the payroll. Also, for an additional three (3)
months, the Company shall pay fifty (50%) percent of whatever premium or
health and life insurance benefits being paid for full time employees,
for those laid off employees.
5. For any employee hired without his having had
one or more years, prior experience in the classification of work for
which he is hired and regardless of experience rating assigned for
salary purposes, the first three months of his employment shall be a
probationary period, with a three-month extension at the Company's
option. The Company will give such employee periodic appraisal of
his work and will notify the Guild of dismissal.
For an employee hired who has had at least one year
of experience on a daily newspaper, and regardless of experience rating
assigned for salary purposes, the first three months of his employment
shall be a probationary period. By mutual agreement between the
Guild, the employee and the Company, this probationary period may be
extended for three additional months.
Probationary employees shall have all the benefits
of this Agreement during their probationary period, except that they
shall not have the right to appeal their dismissal under the grievance
provision of this Agreement.
Tryouts will be for posted positions only, and
tryouts may be given in any department. The tryout period will be
for one week. By mutual consent between the Company and the Guild,
the trial period may be extended.
An employee may ask for a tryout for any position
or job that is posted because of an opening or resignation.
There may be no more than one tryout at any time in
a single department and no more than three (3) on tryout at any time in
all departments.
If a person is hired after a tryout period of one
week or more, the entire tryout time will be considered as part of the
probationary period.
6. (a) When an employee with six months' service or
more is to be discharged, the Guild and the employee shall be notified
in writing at least two weeks in advance of such discharge. Two
weeks' pay in lieu of notice may be given by mutual agreement between
the Company and the Guild.
(b) In the event of discharge for gross
misconduct, or in the case of misconduct after notice has been given
said employee may be laid off immediately.
(c) A dismissed employee and the Guild shall receive in writing from the
Company the reason for dismissal of any employee covered by this
Agreement.
7. There shall be no speed-up in work
so as to place unreasonable duties upon any of the employees as a result
of which their competency might be questioned. Any reduction in
the force shall not result in placing unreasonable duties upon any of
the remaining employees as a result of which their competency might be
questioned.
8. There shall be no discrimination against any
employee or prospective employee because of sex, age, race, creed,
color, national origin, sexual orientation, marital or parental status
and those disabilities defined and covered under the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
9. The Company will notify the Guild when changes
are made in operations that will alter the duties of employees covered
by this Agreement. Furthermore, the Company agrees that an
adequate period of training will be provided at the Company's expense
for such employees.
10. An employee who could be dismissed by the introduction of new or
modified equipment, machines, apparatus or processes shall be afforded
the opportunity to transfer to other available positions.
11. Any employee assigned to operate Company-owned
equipment shall be given an adequate period of training at the Company's
expense.
12. Any employee assigned to operate a computer
shall be offered an eye examination at the Company's expense prior to
beginning work on such devices, and may be retested at least every two
years.
ARTICLE IX
Expenses
1. If required, all reporters and
photographers hired after April 1, 1993, will use their personal cars in
the service of the Company. Employees hired prior to April 1,
1993, will not be required to make an automobile available as a
condition of employment. Company cars provided to these individuals will
be used only for business purposes and commuting to and from work and
will be operated only by the employee. Violation of this provision can
lead to discipline.
2. Effective July 1, 1993, auto expenses,
will be reimbursed according to the schedule provided by Runzheimer
International. If the Runzheimer reimbursement does not cover the cost
of insurance, the Company will pay the employee up to an additional $500
per year upon submission of proof of payment. This additional
reimbursement is to cover the cost between a business purpose insurance
quote and a personal insurance quote. Both quotes will be provided by
the employee to the company.
3. The Company agrees to furnish the Guild
with a list of all employees whose automobiles are regularly used.
A day's notice must be given if an employee (hired after April 1, 1993)
who does not regularly use his car is required to use his car in the
service of the Company.
4. Necessary working equipment shall be
provided for employees and paid for by the Company. If approved by
the Company, an employee may use his personal equipment to cover
breaking news and stories on deadline. Other use of personal
equipment shall be by mutual agreement. It is understood that an
employee can work on the Company's equipment out of the office to cover
breaking news, deadline stories and columns. The Company shall
provide a list of who is using his personal equipment and for what
purpose. In no case shall an employee or applicant for employment
be required to make personal equipment available as a condition of
employment. For purposes of this section, automobiles are not
considered personal equipment for employees hired after April 1, 1993.
5. Company agrees to pay entire cost of parking in
downtown lots for photographers. For cars not regularly used, the
Company shall pay all parking costs up to a maximum of $15.00 per day,
after the employee pays the initial parking fee.
6. Requests for reimbursement of expenses shall be
submitted within 30 days of completion of the assignment. Any
extension must be approved by the Managing Editor.
ARTICLE X
INTERNSHIPS, TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATES
1. Unpaid academic internships will be
limited to twelve (12) a year. The number may be increased by
mutual consent between the Company and the Guild.
a. The Company will
provide timely notice of all academic internships, which shall include
starting and ending dates.
b. Academic
internships will be limited to 22 1/2 hours per week and each intern's
work hours will be posted. If an intern is required or requested
to work beyond that limit, he/she will be hired as a temporary employee
(Article VI, Paragraph 4) and paid at the appropriate prorated
first-year intern scale.
c. No student will
serve more than two academic internships.
2. The Company agrees to recognize paid
intern service when computing pay scales for beginner staff members.
Each paid internship will be limited to 13 weeks unless extended by
mutual agreement between the Company and the Guild. Individual
internships will not be consecutive.
3. The Company may hire two-year associates
under the following conditions:
A. All of the
provisions of the contract with the exception of articles VI, XIII, XIV,
XV, XVII and XVIII, will apply. However, associates will be eligible for
the funeral and parental leaves outlined in Article XV.
B. The period of
employment cannot exceed 24 months and will not be renewed or extended.
C. The Company may
offer regular employment to associates at any time during their
period of employment.
D. Associates may
work in any classification with the understanding that only their first
four weeks of employment may involve news assistant/clerical
work. After the first four weeks they are excluded from the following
classifications: news assistant, clerk, and messenger.
E. There will be no
assignment restrictions
F. No vacation
bonuses will be paid by the Company.
ARTICLE XI
Vacations
Employees hired prior to July 1 shall receive an
annual vacation with full pay of one (1) week after six months of
service: two (2) weeks for one (1) complete year of service; three (3)
weeks for three (3) continuous years of service; four (4) weeks for
eight (8) continuous years of service and five (5) weeks for 23
continuous years of service with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette or other
Block newspapers. The service requirement for five weeks of vacation
will decrease as follows: 21 years in 2002; 20 years in 2003; 18 years
in 2004.
Employees hired on or after Jan. 1, 2007, will
receive a maximum of four (4) weeks vacation.
Employees hired at the top minimum prior to July 1
will receive two (2) weeks of vacation after six months of service.
Employees hired at the top minimum between July 1 and August 31 will
receive one week of vacation after three months of service (the length
of service requirements may be waived by the department head to meet the
needs of the office).
After one (1) complete year of service, all
employees at the top reporter/editor minimum will receive three (3)
weeks of vacation. An employee requesting vacation must give at
least three (3) days' notice.
Effective January 1, 1994:
All former Press employees will receive credit, for
vacation purposes only, for their service with the Pittsburgh Press
Company.
All employees hired between Jan. 1, 1987 and Jan.
1, 1993, will receive, for vacation purposes only, an extra year of
service. The extra year of service is eliminated after the
employee receives four weeks of vacation.
2. The employee's hiring date will determine
his vacation eligibility. With the exception of Christmas week,
seniority will be the basis for vacation preference if the request is
submitted between January I and March 1. Employees who do not meet the
March 1 deadline will be accommodated, if possible, but they will not be
able to use their seniority after March 1 to bump someone who has
scheduled his vacation prior to March 1. Christmas vacation will be
granted on a rotating basis according to seniority but requests for
Christmas week must be submitted and posted by September 1. No bumping
of Christmas week will be permitted after the September 1 deadline.
It is the declared intent of both the Company and the Guild that
vacations be arranged in the best interest of the individual employee as
well as the needs of the office and, when possible, vacations shall be
granted in the more desirable vacation months.
3. Employees eligible for 5 weeks of vacation
must take at least one week prior to March 31. Also, all employees
who do not submit vacation requests prior to September 1 will be
assigned vacations by their department heads.
4. With the exception of the city staff/local
news desk and the copy desk, vacations should be scheduled so that only
one person from a department is off at any one time. The city
staff/local news desk limit is five and the copy desk limit is two.
Exceptions must be approved by the managing editor. For vacation
purposes only, local columnists are not assigned to a department.
5. By arrangement with other employees and
the approval of the department head, off days shall be changed in weeks
preceding and following vacation periods, to provide a longer vacation
where possible.
6. The vacation period shall be continuous,
but employees shall have the privilege of splitting their vacations in
such manner as may be agreed to between them and the Company.
Split vacations and personal holidays are subject to the same limits
described in Paragraph 4.
7. When a recognized holiday or day
celebrated as such occurs during the vacation period of an employee,
that employee shall receive an extra day to be added to his vacation
period where possible, or be given an additional day off at another
date.
8. The Guild recognizes the right of the
Company to assign employees to work normally done by employees on
vacation or on sick leave, provided provisions regarding wages and hours
are not waived.
9. With the exception of self-provoked
discharge or failure to give two weeks' notice, accrued vacation pay
will be paid on termination of employment or in the event of death to
the designated beneficiary according to the following schedule:
Less than 3 complete years of service
0
3 to 6 complete years of service 1 week's pay
7 to 11 complete years of service
2 weeks' pay
12 to 15 complete years of service
3 weeks' pay
16 or more years of service
4 weeks' pay
Effective May 1, 2007, the accrued vacation pay
will be diverted to the Guild Pension Plan for the current contract.
10. Employees shall receive a $25 bonus for
each year of service. For every year after 15 years, the employee will
receive an additional $25 bonus for each year or service. For example,
an employee with 25 years of service will receive $875 (25 x $25 = $625
+ $250 (10 x $25) = $875). Effective Jan. 1, 2007, these service bonuses
will be diverted to the Guild Pension Plan for the current contract.
ARTICLE XII
Holidays
1. The following holidays, or days observed
as such, shall be granted to all employees as provided in this Article:
New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving
Day and Christmas Day. An employee also shall receive the day of
his or her choice as a personal holiday with the understanding that if
the employee desires to observe a day of special religious observance he
or she shall take the personal holiday on such date unless the employee
is able to shift his or her day off with another employee.
Effective January 1, 1980, an employee shall receive a second day of
his/her choice as a personal holiday. Effective January 1, 1998,
every employee shall receive his birthday as an off day with pay.
An employee hired after January 1, 1985, will be eligible for two (2)
personal holidays after working 12 complete months. To claim a
personal holiday, an employee must give at least three (3) days' notice.
Personal holidays are subject to the same limits described in Article
XI, Paragraph 4. Effective January 2003, Martin Luther King Day or
another day of the employees choice will be observed as a day off with
pay. Company seniority will determine which employees can be off with
the understanding that the department head will determine how many
employees can be off on the day observed as Martin Luther King Day.
2. An employee required to work on the
holiday shall receive an extra day's pay in addition to his regular
weekly salary; and an employee required to work on his day off during a
holiday week 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.
Effective January 1, 1981, an employee will receive 6-1/4 days' pay for
the holiday week if he/she is scheduled to work the holiday and 4 other
days during the holiday week.
3. In the week in which one or more of those
holidays fall, all time worked beyond the remaining work days or work
hours shall be paid for at the overtime rate.
4. When an employee's off-day falls on a
holiday, or a day celebrated as such, he shall be given a day off at
another date within a month, or may add the day to his vacation period
if possible. To earn premium pay, the employee must work the
holiday.
5. Personal days are based on
the number of hours the part-time employee is regularly scheduled to
work. For example, an employee who normally works three days a week will
receive 60 percent of the birthday, two personal days and Martin Luther
King Day (60 percent of 30 hours = 18 hours, which is two days and three
hours).
ARTICLE XIII
Advancement, Promotion and Transfer
1. When new positions, vacancies or openings
are to be filled, first consideration shall be given to the employees in
Guild jurisdiction to whom advancement to the vacancy would constitute a
promotion insofar as salary or any other remuneration is concerned.
The Company shall immediately post notice of such vacancies, openings or
jobs. An employee desiring to fill such vacancies, openings or
jobs may either do so orally or may submit written applications within
five (5) days of posting.
2. When an employee is advanced to a position
in a higher classification, he shall be paid the salary minimum in the
advanced classification next above his salary at the time of
advancement, or be given an increase not less than one year's increase
in experience rating in his former classification, whichever is greater.
The effective date of such advancement shall become the employee's new
anniversary date, provided further that at no time thereafter shall the
employee be paid less than he would have received through the normal
operation of the experience progression schedule had he retained his
former classification.
3. The trial period for an employee so
advanced shall be 75 days, which time may be lessened or extended by
mutual agreement between the Company and the Guild.
4. If at the end of such trial period the
employee's service is found to be unsatisfactory, he shall be returned
to his former position at the rate of pay received prior to his
advancement plus any additional benefits that may have been granted in
that classification during his temporary assignment or be given the
option of accepting his severance pay.
5. For purposes of training, an employee may
be transferred from one department to another for a period of up to 90
days. This period may be extended for 60 days by agreement of the
Company, the employee and Guild, or terminated by the Company or the
employee. During this training period the employee will continue
to receive his salary including any step-ups in the category for which
he otherwise would have been eligible. If the employee is being
trained in a higher classification, he shall receive $4.00 a week during
such training in addition to his salary including any step-ups for which
he otherwise would have been eligible.
An employee may elect to return to his original
department during the first 90 days of the training program by giving
two weeks' notice to the Company. Any decision by the employee
regarding the termination of the training program will be accepted by
the Company without prejudice. If an employee requests a transfer
to another department, it will be on the basis of a one-year trial with
the understanding that he can be returned to his original department
prior to the expiration of the trial period.
6. An employee promoted or transferred to
take the place of one entering military service, may upon resumption of
employment by such employee who was in military service, be returned to
his previous position, salary for which shall not be less than the then
current minimum applicable to that job classification taking into
consideration his accumulated experience rating and increases in minimum
wages and general increases granted to that job classification during
the period of such assignment, or his prior salary plus any general
increases, whichever is higher, or be given the option of accepting his
severance pay.
7. An employee promoted or transferred to
fill in as a replacement for an employee on extended sick leave,
maternity leave, or other leave of absence or transferred for purposes
of training, shall be subject to the conditions outlined in paragraph 6,
above, excepting that he shall not have the option of accepting his
severance pay.
No employee shall be transferred by the Company to
another enterprise in the same city, or to work in another city, whether
in the same enterprise or in other enterprises conducted by the Company,
or by a subsidiary, related or parent company of the Company, without
the employee's consent and payment of all transportation and other
moving expenses of himself and family. There shall be no reduction
in salary or impairment of other benefits as a result of such transfer.
A transferred employee may be recalled at the Companys discretion with
all transportation and moving expenses paid by the Company. An
employee shall not be penalized for refusing to accept a transfer. In
the event that a position cannot be filled with a Guild member under
this provision, the company has the right to temporarily fill the
position with a current exempt employee for a period not to exceed one
year. If the position remains filled by an exempt employee at the end of
a year, the company will post the job. In the event that no Guild member
applies for the position or the company determines that none of the
applicants is qualified, the exempt employee can remain in the position
for another year without becoming a Guild member. It is understood the
use of an exempt employee in this capacity is not intended to replace
bargaining unit work. The exempt employee in this role will not count
toward the 25% limitation as established elsewhere in the contract.
9. Management shall have the right to transfer
employees from one newsroom department to another for up to one year to
meet the needs of the office. At the end of one year, transferred
employees can remain in the current assignment or may apply for another
available position. Transfers cannot be a result of punitive action. For
purposes of definition, the following is each a department: Local News,
Sports, Copy/Pagination/Web Desk, Features, Editorial, Business,
Photography, Library and Art. These department designations can be
modified by mutual agreement between the company and the Guild.
ARTICLE XIV
Severance Pay
1. Upon the discharge of any employee covered
by this Agreement for causes other than deliberate self-provoked
discharge and dismissal for cause, the Company shall pay the said
employee as dismissal compensation a lump sum of money to be determined
in accordance with the following schedule, for years of continuous and
uninterrupted employment:
One week's pay after 6 months' employment and one
additional week's pay for each additional
6 months' employment, but not to exceed a total of
52 weeks' pay.
2. "Deliberate self-provoked discharge" shall
mean (1) in cases when an employee conducts himself in a manner to
compel discharge in order to collect dismissal indemnities rather than
resign when it is the employee's intention to accept another position;
(2) when an employee intends to retire from newspaper work and rather
than resign, provokes discharge to collect dismissal indemnities; and
(3) when an employee is guilty of proven theft.
3. The salary paid as dismissal compensation
shall be the highest (except bonuses and pay for special work) received
by the employee during the last 52 weeks of his employment.
4. The years of continuous and uninterrupted
employment provided herein shall mean the total consecutive and
uninterrupted years of service with the Company or with any enterprise
associated or affiliated with the Company and military service completed
during the Military Emergency and Selective Service Act Enactment Period
of World War II provided dismissal pay has not been previously paid.
Leaves of Absence shall not constitute breaks in service.
ARTICLE XV
Leaves of Absence
1. By arrangement with the Company, employees
may be granted leaves of absence without prejudice to continuing
employment or reduction of severance pay computation except that such
time on leave shall not be considered service time.
2. If an employee is elected or appointed to
any office of The Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America, or
AFL-CIO, CLC or any office of a local of The Newspaper Guild, such
employee shall, upon request, be given a leave of absence without pay,
and shall be reinstated in the same position upon the expiration of such
leave. The foregoing shall also apply to delegates elected to The
Newspaper Guild and AFL-CIO, CLC Conventions, both national and local,
and to delegates to special meetings, called by The Newspaper Guild.
The number of employees on leave under this Section shall be limited to
five at any one time, except by mutual consent.
3.(a) Any employee who has had five
continuous years in the employ of the Company without a leave of absence
shall be given at the employee's request a leave of absence not to
exceed six months, without pay. Such leaves shall not constitute a
break in employment, though the time spent on the leave shall not be
counted in computing dismissal pay. Such leaves may be limited to
one from each department at any one time.
(b) An employee with at least 10 years of
service shall be given, at his/her request, a leave of absence not to
exceed three months, at half pay. Such leaves may be limited to two at
any given time. An employee may exercise this right every five years. As
of Jan. 1, 2007, such leaves will be suspended for the duration of the
current contract and wage savings from such leaves will be diverted into
the Guild Pension Plan.
4. The vacation period following a leave of
absence must be delayed by half the actual time of the leave. If a
leave of absence is granted to an employee who has not had five years of
continuous service, said employee's vacation the following year shall be
reduced proportionately.
5. An employee granted a leave, as outlined
in paragraph 3, above, shall not use a leave for the purpose of trying
out another position, unless agreed to by the Company.
6. Upon request funeral leaves according to
the following schedule will be granted:
Two days: death of grandparent, grandchild,
mother-in-law, father-in-law, close relative.
Three days: death of mother, father, brother
sister, step-parent, step-brother, step-sister.
Five Days: death of spouse, spousal relationship,
child or step-child.
An additional funeral leave of up to five days at ½
pay is available.
(a) Upon request, unpaid maternity, paternity or
adoptive parent leave of not more than 8 months shall be granted.
(b) Adoptive parent shall be granted a six-week
leave at ½ pay at the time of adoption.
(c) Parents
not eligible for sick leave at the time of birth will be given the
opportunity to
take a six-week leave of absence at ½ pay.
8. Upon request, employees shall be granted
two (2) days parental leave with pay at the time of delivery or
adoption.
9. The parties agree to comply with the
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. An employee who has been
employed by the Company for twelve (12) months and who has completed the
requisite one thousand two hundred fifty (1,250) hours of work during
the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the commencement of
such leave, will be entitled to leave under that Act. The employee
shall have the right to elect whether they want to use any of their
vacation, sick leave and/or other paid leave to run concurrently with
leaves of absences under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
10. The Guild shall be notified of all leaves
and the conditions under which granted.
ARTICLE XVI
Adjustment of
Disputes
1. It is the intent of the parties to this Agreement that every
effort will be made to avoid disagreements, misunderstandings, employee
management problems and disputes. Initially, any affected employee
and that employee's immediate supervisor shall attempt to resolve any
questions, problems or misunderstandings. A grievance shall be
defined as a dispute over an alleged violation of this agreement.
2. In the event any such dispute is not resolved, then a grievance
shall be submitted to the employee's supervisor. Within ten (10)
days after receipt of the grievance, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and
holidays, the supervisor shall meet with the Union President/Business
Representative, or designee in an attempt to resolve such dispute.
3. In the event the dispute is not settled to the satisfaction of
the parties, the matter shall be referred to the Director of
Personnel/Labor Relations, or designee, and the Union President/Business
Representative, or designee, for settlement.
4. The Director of Personnel/Labor Relations, or designee, and
Union President, or designee, shall, within ten (10) days after receipt
of the grievance, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, meet and
attempt to resolve the grievance. If they are unable to resolve
the dispute within ten (10) days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and
holidays, from the date of their first meeting following referral of the
dispute, either party may, within thirty (30) additional days, excluding
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, request the dispute be submitted to
arbitration.
5. The parties shall then promptly attempt to mutually agree upon
an impartial arbitrator within ten (10) working days after receipt of
the request to submit the dispute to arbitration. If the parties
are unable to agree upon an impartial arbitrator, then the Company and
Union shall request the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to
submit a panel of seven (7) names of suggested impartial arbitrators.
The parties may mutually agree to request an additional panel if the
panel does not contain the names of impartial arbitrators satisfactory
to them. In any event, the parties shall select an arbitrator no
later than thirty (30) days from the receipt of the panel of arbitrators
submitted by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service from which
they intend to select. The parties shall select from the panel by
alternately striking one (1) name from the list until only one (1) name
remains, or by mutually agreeing upon one (1) of the arbitrators from
the panels submitted. The parties shall determine who shall
eliminate the first name by the flip of a coin.
6. Once a grievance is filed and the answering party fails to
respond within the prescribed time limits, the grievance shall be
automatically moved to the next step.
7. The parties may mutually agree to extend the time limits set
forth above. The expense of the arbitration shall be shared
equally by both parties. The arbitrator shall have no power to add
to, subtract from, modify or amend any provisions of this Agreement.
Each party agrees to accept and abide by the award of the arbitrator,
which shall be final and binding.
ARTICLE XVII
Military Service
The Company shall comply with the provisions of the Uniform Service
Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act of 1994, as well as any state
legislation or regulations applicable to employees called to military
leave. A full time employee who is unable to report for regularly
scheduled work because the employee is required to report for active
duty with the United States National Guard or a Reserve unit of the
United States Military shall, for each of the first ten (10) work days
lost because of such duty, be compensated in an amount equal to the
difference between a day's pay at a straight time rate of pay and the
amount earned for military service.
ARTICLE XVIII
Preferential Re-Employment
1. When the Company makes discharges or
layoffs other than for cause, such discharged or laid off persons shall
be placed upon a rehiring list. No person -- other than for
positions excluded from the Agreement -- shall be hired by the Company
except from this rehiring list (per Article VIII, Para. 4C(6)) unless
same is exhausted with respect to the general type of work for which an
additional employee is desired.
2. Employees who have signed temporary
replacement cards for employment because of enlistment or conscription
of regular employees also shall be placed on the rehiring list when
discharged for reasons other than cause, upon the return of the regular
employee from war service, or when any temporary employee enters the
armed services.
3. The Company shall supply to the Guild the
names of those persons who are placed upon the rehiring list with the
date of their discharge, and the Company shall notify the Guild when
persons are hired from such a list.
4. In the event a vacancy occurs in a post
carrying less salary than an employee received at the time of his
dismissal, he may accept the lesser salary if mutually agreeable to him,
the Guild and the Company. Such an employee shall be given the
first opportunity to fill in a higher classification. In the event
of his reemployment before the period of his severance pay has expired,
the employee shall remit the unexpired portion of his severance pay in a
lump sum, or on a basis to be determined by mutual agreement between
him, the Guild and the Company, provided that any sum remitted shall be
added to severance pay as set forth in Article XIV in the event of a
subsequent dismissal.
ARTICLE XIX
Miscellaneous
1. Seniority as used in this Agreement means
the continuous length of service with the Company. If application of the
preceding sentence results in two (2) or more employees having the same
seniority, the employee whose name appears earlier on the Companys
alphabetical listing of employees shall be deemed more senior.
2. An employee's by-line, initials,
credit, tagline or other identifying information shall not be used over
his protest.
3. During the life of this Agreement the
Company will not effect or cause to be effected any reductions in the
face amount of the respective policies now in force under the present
Group Insurance Plan of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
4. Employees may be assigned to use
multi-media equipment for print and electronic publications without
restriction. The company shall provide equipment and adequate training
for use of such equipment. Employees shall not be subject to discipline
for a good faith effort to perform a skill outside their job
classification.
5. Free-lance photographers may be retained for
photo assignments provided they are from the same area as the
assignment. Free-lance photographers may be used only to supplement
coverage of professional sports and Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia
sporting events. Furthermore, it is understood that the use of
free-lancers is not intended to replace bargaining unit jobs or work.
6. Exempt employees and freelancers can be used in
SEEN, SEEN Magazine and similar publications. The use of exempt and
freelancers is not intended to displace bargaining unit jobs or work.
7. Bulletin boards
suitably placed in all departments shall be maintained exclusively for
the use of the Guild.
No employee shall he required to take over the
duties of any employee in another department of the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette in the event of a labor dispute in such department, or by
assuming new duties to assist in the operation of a department where
employees are on strike. No strike, slowdown, work stoppage or any other
interference with or interruption of work shall be permitted during the
term of this Agreement. Nor shall the Company lock out its
employees during the term of this agreement.
The Company agrees not to have or enter into any
agreement with any other Company binding such other Company not to offer
or give employment to employees of the Company.
The Guild shall be notified within 24 hours of all
resignations tendered. Resignations shall be subject to grievance
procedure upon notice from the Guild within four days after receipt of
notice from the Company.
For the purpose of application of this Agreement,
it is understood that wherever the masculine pronoun is used as
reference, the feminine pronoun also applies, in the language of this
agreement.
Employees will be free to engage in any activity
outside of working hours under the following conditions:
(A) Employee must notify the Company in advance of
any such activities.
(B) Provided such activity does not consist of
services performed for publications, radio, TV stations, or interactive
media-related entities in direct competition with the Company.
(C) Provided
such activities do not involve volunteer or paid work for any local or
national political party or government service, either appointive or
elective.
(D) The Company shall notify the Guild of its
decision in these matters.
There will be no exceptions to these provisions
except as set forth by the Company and on file in the Post-Gazettes
Personnel folder of the affected employee or employees.
(Code of ethics is reprinted in the back of the
contract).
In the event that any valid Federal or State law or
the final decision of any court of competent jurisdiction renders
illegal any provisions of this Agreement, all other terms and provisions
of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
An employee may refuse to perform his or her duties
when, in good faith and with good cause, he or she believes abnormally
dangerous working conditions exist.
An employee called for jury duty or as a witness
and required to serve, shall receive his regular salary less any amounts
paid him for jury duty or as witness fees.
The Company shall supply the Guild on request, but
not more than twice in one year, a list containing the following
information for all employees on the payroll under Guild Jurisdiction.
(A)Name, address, minority group, sex, date of
birth, and Social Security number.
(B) Date of
hiring.
(C) Classification.
(D) Experience rating and
experience anniversary date.
(E) Salary.
The Company shall notify the Guild monthly in
writing of:
(a) Merit increases granted by name of the
employee, individual amount, resulting new salary, and effective date.
(b) Step-up increases paid by name of employee,
individual amount, resulting new salary, and effective date.
(c)Changes in classification, salary changes by
reason thereof, and effective date.
(d)Resignations, retirements, deaths and other
revisions in the data listed in the first section of this
paragraph and effective
dates.
17. The Guild recognizes the companys
right to conduct periodic written performance reviews for all employees.
18. The news assistant classification is based on
the following:
A. Writing Duties: All writing could be
described as non-creative. Examples: Engagements, weddings,
routine obits, rewriting of church news, military announcements and
routine news releases. If news assistant is asked to perform as a
reporter, he/she will be paid as a reporter.
B. Research: Available to do research for
reporters, but such assignments will be made by news assistants
immediate supervisor.
C. Department: Not assigned to a particular
department but will not be delegated to more than one department during
a single work day with this exception: he/she might be required to
perform traditional clerical duties to meet the needs of the office.
D. Non-writing news assistants: Photo pick
up film from sporting events, handle reprint orders, mix chemicals and
file negatives. In addition, by mutual agreement between each
photographer and a news assistant, non-deadline film may be processed by
the news assistant. The processing of deadline film, however, will
be determined by either the head photographer or the graphics editor.
Art Department routine graphics such as business
charts, weather maps, simple bar graphs, calling down existing AP
graphics and adapting them to PG style.
E. Existing clerks or future clerks might
work as a news assistant one or two days a week for which they will be
paid a daily differential. Furthermore, first consideration shall
be given to the employees in Guild jurisdiction to whom advancement to
the position of news assistant would constitute a promotion.
F. No news assistant will be reprimanded for
an error in news judgment.
19. A. The Company will make reasonable efforts to
provide a clean and safe working environment and to avoid conditions
hazardous to the health of his employees. The employees will
cooperate in maintaining these conditions.
The Company and the Guild agree that Repetitive
Strain Injuries or Cumulative Traumas Disorders (collectively RSI) are a
matter of concern. The Company and the Guilds Health and Safety
Committee will meet regularly to discuss developments regarding RSI.
Employees may work at home with approval of the
Company. The Guild will be notified of any such arrangement.
The Company is committed to ensuring that employees
are free of the dangerous effects of drugs and alcohol. A copy of the
Companys Drug and Alcohol Policy is available from the Human Resources
Director.
The Company has a Transitional Duty Program. Under
this program, employees injured due to an injury or illness and unable
to perform all the functions of their pre-injury job may be returned to
work in a modified duty capacity. A copy of the Companys Transitional
Duty Program is available from the Human Resources Director.
23. The Company and the Newspaper Guild
of Pittsburgh are committed to instituting same sex healthcare benefits
in the Guild unit at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette subject to the
following conditions:
That such coverage is permissible within the State
of Pennsylvania.
The parties agree on the cost of the program.
That the parties establish appropriate safeguards
limiting the program to partners in a long-term committed
relationship.
ARTICLE XX
Insurance, Health and Welfare, Pensions
1. The Company shall make available
non-contributory Group Life Insurance with an agreed-upon plan and under
the terms and conditions of a Master Policy which contains the following
provisions:
A. 90-day waiting period.
B. Insurance of one times annual salary with a
maximum of $50,000.
C. Employees age 70 and above will have insurance
of 65 percent of annual salary but not less than the minimum described
in Paragraph B above.
D. Employees at retirement will have $4,000 of
paid-up life insurance.
2. The Company shall pay the full cost of a
travel accident policy for all employees, which includes the following
provisions: principal sum, $100,000; weekly indemnity, the lesser of
$100 or 65 percent of weekly earnings; waiting period, 60 days; maximum
number of weeks, 52.
3. Effective with the
ratification of this contract, the Company will provide a health
insurance and prescription drug plan to eligible employees. Employees
shall contribute five (5) percent of their wages for health insurance up
to 2,080 hours or $50,000, whichever occurs first. The Company will
reduce wages by 5% to implement this contribution.
Employees/Retirees shall have the right to opt out of the health
insurance program. Any employee/retiree opting out shall receive $100
per month. If an Employee/Retiree opts out of coverage and receives
compensation, these payments will not be deemed as wages under any other
benefit program. Employee/Retiree may re-enter health insurance
program upon the plan renewal date or when there is a life- event as
provided under the Internal Revenue Code. A grid of benefits
is provided as Exhibit A of this agreement.
A. For all new hires, there is a ninety (90)
day waiting period for all insurance coverage under this agreement.
B. Spouses of employees who die prior to retirement
will be covered with their dependent children by the active employee
health care plan. The spouse will be required to pay 30 percent of the
composite coverage premium as a condition for obtaining coverage. This
coverage will end after five (5) years, at age 65, attainment of
Medicare eligibility or remarriage, whichever occurs soonest.
Coverage for children ends at their 19th birthday, or earlier if the
spouses coverage ends.
For such surviving spouses, a method will be set up
where the surviving spouse has a certain date in which to remit the
required contributions. If the surviving spouse fails to make
those contributions, the Post-Gazette must notify the surviving spouse
of the delinquency by certified mail/return receipt requested with a
copy to the employees union and must be afforded at least 30 days to
make such payments. If the payments are not remitted within 30
days after the surviving spouse receives notice, the Company may then,
in that event, cancel the surviving spouses health care insurance.
Surviving spouses
(under age 65 or not Medicare eligible) of employees who die after
retirement will be covered by the active employee health care plan. The
spouse will be required to pay the same percentage of the composite
premium as the retiree. This coverage will end after five (5) years, or
at age 65, attainment of Medicare eligibility or remarriage, whichever
occurs soonest. Coverage for surviving spouses 65 and older will
cease 60 days after the employees death.
For such surviving spouses, retiree health care
contributions should, if possible, be made through deductions from the
employees pension. If not, a method will be set up where the
surviving spouse has a certain date in which to remit the required
contributions. If the surviving spouse fails to make those
contributions, the Post-Gazette must notify the retiree of the
delinquency by certified mail/return receipt requested with a copy to
the employees union and must be afforded at least 30 days to make such
payments. If the payments are not remitted within 30 days after
the surviving spouse receives notice, the Company may then, in that
event, cancel the health care insurance.
C. Any employee with 80 points (age plus
years service with the Guild) at the date of ratification and/or who
during the life of this agreement attains an age which allows them to
retire under their current Company/Union Pension Plan and has 20 years
of service under that plan, shall receive retiree health insurance
consisting of a Medicare Supplement Plan (currently Security Blue)
(post-65 and disabled) or the health care plan in force for active
employees (under 65). Those retirees shall be obligated to pay 35% of
the premium cost for the active employee health care plan composite rate
or Medicare Supplment Plan provided by the Company. Spouses of retired
employees will be covered by the active employee health care plan until
they are eligible for Medicare, at which time they will enroll in the
Medicare Supplement Plan provided by the Company (currently SecurityBlue).
For current and future retirees, retiree health
care contributions should, if possible, be made through deductions from
the employees pension. If not, a method will be set up where the
retiree has a certain date in which to remit the required contributions.
If the retiree fails to make those contributions, the Post-Gazette must
notify the retiree of the delinquency by certified mail/return receipt
requested with a copy to the employees union and must be afforded at
least 30 days to make such payments. If the payments are not
remitted within 30 days after the retiree receives notice, the Company
may then, in that event, cancel the retirees health care insurance.
D. Employees retired prior to Jan. 1,
2007, shall receive the Medicare Supplement Plan provided by the Company
(currently Security Blue) or the active employee health care plan that
active employees receive and shall be obligated to pay 25 percent of the
premium for the Medicare Supplement Plan or the composite rate for the
active employee health care plan composite rate. Retired employees or
surviving spouses who reside outside the coverage area shall receive a
stipend equal to the Employers share of the applicable Medicare
Supplement Plan or the active employee plan composite rate premium in
lieu of any insurance coverage.
For current and
future retirees, retiree health care contributions should, if possible,
be made through deductions from the employees pension. If not, a
method will be set up where the retiree has a certain date in which to
remit the required contributions. If the retiree fails to make
those contributions, the Post-Gazette must notify the retiree of the
delinquency by certified mail/return receipt requested with a copy to
the employees union and must be afforded at least 30 days to make such
payments. If the payments are not remitted within 30 days after
the retiree receives notice, the Company may then, in that event, cancel
the retirees health care insurance.
E. Employees not eligible for retiree health
care coverage as described above shall be placed in an employer-paid
Health Reimbursement Account as follows:
The Company will create Health Reimbursement
Accounts (HRA) for all active employees after they have completed
one-year of service.
An account will be established for each eligible
employee and credited with PG contributions, per the schedule below.
If an eligible employee separates service after
becoming vested, he/she may utilize the HRA to pay for post-employment
Qualified Expenses, which are defined under the Internal Revenue Code,
which include health care premiums.
During the term of this agreement, although an
eligible employee will receive annual credits, vesting will occur upon
the earlier of:
Attainment of age 57 with 25 years of service
Death
Disability
Schedule of PG Credits:
Years of Service
Annual Amount
HRA accounts will not necessarily be funded the
first three (3) years of the collective bargaining agreement. However,
in the event an employee separates from service and makes a claim during
the first three (3) years, the PG will reimburse the eligible employee
the amount due from its general assets. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, on March 1, 2010, all monies that were credited to the HRA
account shall be paid into an HRA account trust, which shall be
established prior to March 1, 2010. Thereafter contributions shall
be made directly to the HRA Trust Fund.
Once funded
amounts will be invested pursuant to the authorization of the Trustees.
The Trustees of this program will be members of the Union and the
Company, as determined. Earnings will be credited to Participant
Accounts on a pro-rata basis.
Forfeitures (any unvested funded account balances
or any unvested credits) will be utilized to reduce future liabilities
of the PG.
Claim submissions an Eligible Participant who
becomes 100% vested may submit claims for reimbursement. Such
amounts will be deducted from each Eligible Participants accounts.
No HRA accounts will be established for employees
eligible for other PG retiree medical benefits and such employees
eligible for other PG Retiree medical benefits are not eligible for HRA
credits.
F. Details of the hospitalization program are
outlined in the Blue Cross booklet available in the Labor Relations and
Human Resources offices.
G. Dental/Optical insurance will be provided for
active employees and their dependents.
4. Effective January
1, 2003, employees and retirees may choose UPMC as an alternative to
Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
5. a. Effective with
the ratification of this contract, benefit accruals for all participants
in the pension plan will be frozen. Each Employees service will
continue to be credited according to the terms of the pension plan for
purposes of vesting and benefit eligibility.
b. For the duration of the agreement, the Employer will make weekly
pension contributions of $75.70. Additionally, each Employee will
divert 2% of their base salary to the pension plan. The gross
annual payroll of the Guild members as of 2/18/2007 is $13,208,473. The
2% diversion will be valued at $265,000 a year during the life of this
contract. The Guild diverted the night differential for the term of the
contract. The night differential diversion will be valued at $45,000 a
year during the life of this contract. The Guild diverted the Vacation
Bonus for the term of the contract. The Vacation Bonus diversion will be
valued at $95,000 a year during the life of this contract. The Guild
diverted the Service Bonus for the term of the contract. The Service
Bonus diversion will be valued at $6,000 a year during the life of this
contract. The Guild diverted the Accrued Vacation language for the term
of the contract. The Accrued Vacation language diversion will be valued
at $60,000 a year during the life of this contract. The Guild diverted
the half pay leave for the term of the contract. The half pay leave
diversion will be valued at $120,000 a year during the life of this
contract.
c. The Board of Trustees is authorized and directed to adopt the
following long-term funding policy immediately. The Fund
co-consultants will produce with the annual actuarial valuations a
seven-year actuarial projections with the goal of identifying future
funding deficiencies (defined as where the negotiated contributions are
not enough to satisfy the minimum required contributions under Internal
Revenue Code Section 412). These annual projections will be based
on the following:
Projections will take into account only negotiated
contributions.
Use of the assumptions in the then current annual
actuarial valuation as jointly agreed to by the Funds co-consultants.
No unanticipated actuarial gains or losses during
the projection time period.
If the annual projection indicates any future funding deficiencies
during the seven-year projection, the Board of Trustees is authorized
and directed to amend future benefit accruals (or any other
non-protected benefits), effective immediately, in order to eliminate
the projected future funding deficiencies.
In the event that the Post-Gazette is required to make any additional
contributions above the negotiated contribution rates in order to avoid
funding deficiencies, the Post-Gazette will receive a dollar for dollar
credit towards the next subsequent plan years contributions. When
the Board of Trustees reduces benefits to eliminate the future funding
deficiencies they shall take into account that these contribution
credits will be taken as a reduction in the negotiated contributions in
the next plan year.
d. The parties agree to investigate the viability of merging the pension
plan with another willing plan. Neither party shall reject a
merger of the pension plan without good cause if the merger satisfies
the following conditions: 1) the terms of the merger comply with
Internal Revenue Code Section 414(l), ERISA Section 208, and any other
applicable law or regulation; 2) the Employers pension contributions
shall not be increased for the duration of this agreement; and, 3)
surplus assets of the pension plan remaining after the merger, if any,
will inure to the benefit of the Employees.
e. Any deadlocked Trustee motion relating to a reduction in benefits
required under the Long Term Funding Policy in numbered paragraph 3
above as well as any dispute between the parties regarding the
provisions of this agreement shall be arbitrated on an expedited basis,
with the arbitration to take place not later than sixty (60) days
following the Trustees meeting at which the deadlock occurs or the date
that one party advises the other of a dispute regarding the
interpretation or application of this agreement.
Details of the pension plan status and its benefits
are outlined in a separate document signed by the Company and the Guild.
ARTICLE XXI
Privilege Against Disclosure
1. An employee may refuse to divulge the
confidential source of any published material or material offered for
publication, except to the Company or his representatives, including
counsel. Subject to the foregoing requirements of disclosure, the
Company agrees to support an employee who refuses to give up custody of,
or to disclose, any unpublished confidential information, notes,
records, documents, films, photographs or tape recordings which relate
to news he gathered in connection with published material or to disclose
the source of such unpublished material.
2. The Company shall notify the employee
concerned and the Guild of any formal demand on the Company for such
surrender of unpublished material or disclosure of the source of any
published or unpublished material. Likewise, the employee shall
notify the Company of any demand on the employee for such surrender of
unpublished material or disclosure of the source of any published or
unpublished material.
3.
Should the employee be proceeded against under the law, the Company
agrees to provide legal counsel, if requested by the employee, selected
by the Company of the employee at the Company's expense, and, in such
event, to indemnify the employee against any fines or damages, provided
the employee has complied with the requirements of paragraph 1 and 2
above, and follows the advice given by counsel supplied by the Company.
4.
Provided that the employee fully complies with the requirements of
paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above he shall suffer no loss under the collective
bargaining Agreement as a result of his refusal to surrender unpublished
material or disclose the source of any published or unpublished material
to any federal, state, or municipal court, grand jury, agency,
department, commission or legislative body.
5.
Notwithstanding paragraph 1 above, in libel actions against the Company
concerning published material, where, in the opinion of the Company's
counsel the employee should disclose the source of such published
material for the defense of the Company, the employee agrees to disclose
the source of the published material.
ARTICLE XXII
Management Rights
Except as modified or restricted by this Agreement, all statutory and
inherent managerial rights, prerogatives and functions are retained and
invested exclusively in the Company, including, but not limited to, the
right to reprimand, suspend, discharge or otherwise discipline employees
for just cause; to determine the number of employees to be employed; to
hire employees, determine their qualifications, and assign and direct
their work; to promote, demote, transfer, lay off and recall to work in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; the products to be
produced and/or the services to be rendered; to maintain the efficiency
of operations; to set starting and quitting times; to determine the
personnel, methods, means and facilities by which operations are
conducted; to determine reasonable standards of production; to issue,
amend and revise reasonable rules and policies in accordance with
applicable law; to cease any department, operation or service; to
control and regulate the use of machinery, facilities, equipment and
other property of the Company; introduce new or improved research,
production, service, distribution and maintenance methods, materials,
machinery and equipment; to determine the number, location and operation
of departments, divisions and all other units of the Company; and to
take action necessary to determine, manage and fulfill the mission of
the Company. The Company's failure to exercise any right,
prerogative or function hereby reserved to it, or the Company's exercise
of any such right, prerogative or function in a particular way, shall
not be considered a waiver of the Company's right to exercise such
right, prerogative or function or preclude it from exercising the same
in some other way not in conflict with the provisions of this Agreement.
ARTICLE XXIII
Term and Renewal
1. This Agreement shall commence on the first
day of January 2007 and expire on the thirty-first day of March 2010.
2. Not less than 60 days prior to the
expiration of this Agreement either party desiring to open negotiations
for a new Agreement shall submit its proposals for such new Agreement in
writing to the other party. The respondent party, if it desires to
file a counter proposal of the conditions it will seek to establish,
shall do so at the earliest practicable date, but in any event not
longer than thirty (30) days from receipt of notice by the moving party.
In the absence of such statement within the prescribed time limit, the
existing Agreement becomes automatically the proposal of the respondent
party. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall remain in
effect as long as negotiations continue, but in the event a new
Agreement is arrived at within four (4) months of the submission of the
new proposal, all the terms and conditions of the new Agreement shall be
retroactive to the date of the expiration of this Agreement.
NEWSPAPER GUILD OF PITTSBURGH/COMMUNICATIONS
WORKERS OF AMERICA
By: _____________________________________________
Mike Bucsko, President
By: _____________________________________________
Ken Fisher, Treasurer
PG PUBLISHING COMPANY
By: _____________________________________________
Stephen B.
Spolar,
Director of
Human Resources
Signed: March 1, 2007
Statement of Policy
The Post-Gazette always adhered to the principle
that journalists must be free of obligation to any interest other than
the public's right to know. We assume that members of the
editorial staff are honest and honorable, and that none would show
favoritism in exchange for favors or gifts.
The Post-Gazette, like many other news
organizations, has become concerned in recent years about the practice
that has flourished in many newsrooms of permitting employees to accept
favors and gifts, many of which have been sent to home addresses.
Today, with the public becoming increasingly critical of newspapers and
their credibility, we must be concerned about even the appearance of
impropriety. Anybody who thinks he is influencing news play by
favors or gifts, even if he is not, is going to convince at least a
dozen other persons that journalists can be bought.
After reviewing past practices, the Post-Gazette
has decided to issue a statement of professional standards that will
apply to all persons who gather, write or edit news. The sole
purpose of this statement is to strengthen the Post-Gazette's reputation
for integrity and high journalistic standards.
Reduced to its simplest form, the Post-Gazette's
belief is that gifts, favors, free travel, special treatment or
privileges can compromise the integrity of journalists and their
employers. Nothing of value should be accepted by journalists or
their employers.
The complete policy statement follows:
Free Tickets and Passes
Free tickets or passes to sports events, movies,
theatrical productions, circuses, ice shows, amusement parks or other
entertainments may not be accepted or solicited by staff members.
working reporters, however, may accept passes to
events where there are special facilities such as press boxes or tables
-- for which tickets are not sold. Reviewers may accept tickets
for the purpose of reviewing plays or movies, but they may not solicit
such tickets for other staff members or friends. Season passes to
movies may not be accepted.
Gifts and Gratuities
Gifts of insignificant value -- a pencil, pen,
calendar, key chain or such -- may be accepted if it would be awkward to
refuse or return them. All other gifts should be declined.
Staff members may not accept any gifts of liquor,
wine or beer. In no instance may a staff member accept cash.
A gift that exceeds token value should be returned
promptly with an explanation that it is against Post-Gazette policy.
If it is impossible to return the gift, the company will donate it to a
charity.
Travel
Junkets, free trips and reduced rate or subsidized
travel may not be accepted. An exception may be made, however,
when free or reduced rate transportation is the only means available to
cover an event (such as a military flight or a trip arranged by a
foundation or government). Staff members must consult with the
managing editor before accepting such arrangements.
Staff members may travel on chartered planes (with
a sports team or political candidate, for example) and take advantage of
charter rates, hotel bookings or other services offered by a news
source. All such trips must be approved by the managing editor.
In every instance, the news value of a trip will be
the determining factor in approving or disapproving Post-Gazette
participation.
Use of Merchandise or Products
Staff members should not accept the free use or
reduced rate purchase of merchandise or products for personal pleasure
when such an offer involves the staff member's newspaper position.
This includes the loan or cut-rate purchase of such things as
automobiles, furniture, boats, appliances, clothing and sporting goods.
A staff member may drive or use a product for a
short time to test or evaluate it for news or feature articles or for
photography. Extended or regular use of products for these
purposes is prohibited.
Miscellaneous
Entertainment -- Where possible, Post-Gazette staff
members should pay for meals and drinks when on company business.
Dinner or cocktail parties are allowed if the event relates to news
coverage or if it is valuable for background. "Freeload" affairs
that have little or no news value should be avoided. This includes
such things as special entertainment and parties for the press and
families.
Memberships -- Free or reduced rate memberships in
private clubs or organizations should not be accepted.
Books, Recordings, Games Books, recordings and
electronic games that are supplied to designated reviewers may be
accepted for that purpose. Staff members should not solicit such
items, however.
All staff members should be aware that good
judgment is more effective than any rules or regulations. Copies
of the Post-Gazette's policy statement may be obtained from the business
office and may be sent to news sources when gifts or favors are
declined.
John Robinson Block, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
EXHIBIT A
|
|
Healthcare Plan |
|
|
Benefit |
Network |
Out-of-Network |
|
|
Primary Care Physician (PCP) Required |
No |
No |
|
|
Deductible (per benefit period)
individual
Family |
$750
$1,500 |
$1,500
$3,000 |
|
|
Plan Payment Level Based on the providers
reasonable charge |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Out-of-Pocket Maximums (Once met, plan
payment level becomes 100%)
Individual
Family |
Not Applicable
Not Applicable |
$3,000
$6,000 |
|
|
Lifetime Maximum (per person) |
Unlimited |
$2,000,000 |
|
|
Primary Care Physician Office Visits |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Specialist Office Visits |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Preventive Care |
|
|
|
|
Adult |
|
|
|
|
Routine physical exams |
100% after $25 copayment |
Not Covered |
|
|
Adult Immunizations |
100%
(deductible does not apply) |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Routine gynecological exams, including a PAP
Test |
100% after $25 copayment |
80%
(deductible does not apply) |
|
|
Mammograms, annual routine and
medically necessary
|
100%
(deductible does not apply) |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Pediatric
Routine physical exams |
100% after $25 copayment |
Not Covered |
|
|
Pediatric immunizations |
100%
(deductible does not apply) |
80%
(deductible does not apply) |
|
|
Emergency Room Services if authorized or
life-threatening, otherwise, reduced benefits apply |
100% after $100 copayment
(waived if accidental or admitted) |
|
|
Spinal Manipulations |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
Limit: 20 visits/benefit period |
|
|
Physical Medicine |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Limit: 20 visits/benefit period |
|
|
Speech Therapy |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Limit: 20 visits/benefit period |
|
|
Occupational Therapy |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Limit: 20 visits/benefit period |
|
|
Allergy Extracts and Injections |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Ambulance |
100% after network deductible |
|
|
Assisted Fertilization Procedures |
Not Covered |
|
|
Parental Services Related to Accidental
Injury |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Diabetes Treatment |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Diagnostic Services (including routine)
Advanced Imaging (MRI, CAT Scan, PET
scan, etc.) |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Basic Diagnostic Services (standard
imaging, Diagnostic medical, lab/pathology, allergy
testing) |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Durable Medical Equipment, Orthotics and
Prosthetics |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Formulae |
100%
(deductible does not apply) |
80%
(deductible does not apply) |
|
|
Hormone Infusion Therapy |
100% after network deductible |
|
|
Home Health Care |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Hospice |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Hospital Services Inpatient |
100% after $50 copay/admission & deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Hospital Services Outpatient |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Infertility Counseling, Testing and
Treatment |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Maternity (facility & professional
services) |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Medical/Surgical Expenses
(Except Office Visits) |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Mental Health Inpatient |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
|
Limit: 60 days/benefit period |
Limit: 30 days/benefit period |
|
|
Mental Health Outpatient |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
Limit: None |
|
|
Private Duty Nursing |
100% after network deductible |
|
|
Skilled Nursing Facility Care |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
|
Limit: None |
|
|
Substance Abuse Inpatient Detoxification |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
Limit: 7 days/admission; 4
admissions/lifetime |
|
|
Substance Abuse Inpatient Rehabilitation |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Limit: 30 days/benefit period; 90
days/lifetime |
|
|
Substance Abuse Outpatient |
100% after $25 copayment |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Limit: 60 visits/benefit period; 120
visits/lifetime |
|
|
Therapy Services (Cardiac Rehab, Infusion
therapy, C Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy and Dialysis) |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Transplant Services |
100% after deductible |
80% after deductible |
|
|
Precertification Requirements |
Performed by Provider |
Performed by Member |
|
|
Hearing Services |
One routine annual exam after $25 copay;
$500/hearing aid; maximum of 2 (1 per ear) every 3 years
|
Not Covered |
|
|
Prescription Drug Deductible
Individual
Family |
Per Calendar Year
None
None |
|
|
Premier Prescription Drug Program
Defined by Premier Gold Pharmacy Network -
Not Physician Network.
(Prescriptions filled at a non-network
pharmacy are not covered.)
|
Retail Drugs
$20 generic copayment
$30 brand copayment
$50 non-formulary brand copayment
Mandatory Generic
31-day Supply
Maintenance Drugs through Mail Order
$40 generic copayment
$60 brand copayment
$100 non-formulary brand copayment
Mandatory Generic
90-day Supply |
|