August 12, 2022
Bargaining between the News Media Guild and The Associated Press continued Tuesday to discuss a new contract for the Guild’s editorial and technology units.
The AP advanced a proposal on Holidays (Article 21) adding Juneteenth as an annual paid holiday. It also included a provision that stated compensation for holiday pay would only be paid in money and no longer in compensating time off aka “CTO.” Another provision stated that if a holiday fell on a Saturday, the observed day would be Friday, and if it fell on Sunday, the observed day would be Monday. An employee could take a holiday off or holiday pay for either the actual day or the observed day but not both.
The AP also advanced a proposal on Vacations (Article 22) that increased vacation allotments in the first few years for new hires. New employees now get only three days’ vacation, but they can use a week of their next year’s two week allotment. Members have long protested it is too little time and not competitive, and the union is pleased with this provision of the company proposal. Under the proposal, new employees would get 3 vacation days PLUS prorated share of the full two weeks allotment, depending on what month they started. The following year, they would be eligible for 13 days, and the year after that would be 18 days, and two years after that would be 23 days. For example, an employee hired in June 2023 would be eligible for 9 vacation days in that calendar year, 13 days in 2024, 18 days in 2025 and 2026, and 23 days in 2027. A provision of the proposal would convert the current birthday day and two personal days to three vacation days, saying it would be easier to manager time off under one rule. Also, employees would be required to use either 75% of their carryover vacation days or 14 days, whichever is greater. Because some employees had more than 100 carryover days in the past, the union has requested a list of all current carryover time to evaluate the proposal. It could also add to the short-staffing concerns. And the deadline for employees to schedule vacation days before managers can schedule them would be moved from Aug. 1 to July 1.
On NFTs, the Guild asked if a photographer opposed an image used as a NFT, could they stop it? The AP responded that if the company owns the property rights in the first place, then the company can do that.
The Guild clarified its previous proposal on Temporary Employees (Article 18) was not about temps replacing regular employees, but about the opportunity to fill “regular” vacancies. A two-year temporary should be able into a posted position, if qualified, after having shown the company their skills and ability. AP commented that they can now apply for vacant positions.
The AP said its editing desk reorganization might affect vacation requests but not job security. It will affect scheduling as AP is about to post a schedule with will include employees from all four regional desks.
Representing the Guild were Vin Cherwoo, a sports writer in New York; Michelle Monroe, a newsperson on the West Desk; John Braunreiter, a customer support specialist in Milwaukee; Luis Espinosa-Organista, Guild staff representative; Guild office manager Ana Tesfaye; and Guild administrative officer Kevin Keane.
Representing the AP were Teresita Seeberger, senior director of global human resources; David Scott, vice president of news strategy and operations; Keisa Caesar, human resources manager; and attorney Steve Macri.