April 12, 2023
The News Media Guild’s bargaining team met with The Associated Press on Tuesday to discuss the Editorial Unit Contract.
Bargainers discussed several topics, including the company’s newly proposed “format leaders” (previously known as the player-coach roles). Previously, the company agreed that some of these “player-coach” roles would be guild eligible positions, but some would be management. The company says that it is preparing to publish job postings for the management-only player coach roles later this week. However, rather than be advertised as “format leaders” or “player coach” positions, they will be posted as administrative correspondents – which is an approved job role in the EU contract. The company says they’re currently posting these only for the LA, NY and Chicago regions.
The guild then followed up on several information requests it has on the structure of the AP in the wake of the reorganization. The company is working on providing that information.
On advancement opportunities, the Guild and company reached an agreement on language regarding training and job shadowing for employees moving into new positions. While no extra stipend will be provided to those who agree to job shadowing, there will now be language in the contract that employees may request it within a month of moving into a new role. It may take place over zoom or in person.
On changing organization units, the guild is still negotiating with the company. Yet the company proposed dropping its request to create a new unit for news services and keeping those employees inside the news coordination unit. The company still wants to create a new unit for climate while wanting to move the NY International news unit (which has two members) to join the Washington DC international news unit (it has four members). The Guild is still considering this request.
The guild was represented by Vin Cherwoo, a sports writer from New York; John Braunreiter, a customer support specialist from Milwaukee; Kim Kruesi, a newsperson from Nashville, Tenn.; Ed Morsett, a senior technician from Glendale, Arizona; and administrator Kevin Keane.