Summary (and by No Means a Complete List) of BBNA Proposed Takebacks

  • No vacation carryover
  • Guild sick leave bank dissolved
  • BBNA has right to unilaterally reduce health benefits and/or increase co-pays, deductibles etc.
  • Starting as early as 2017, employees would have to pay premiums based on a percentage — up to 30% (35% in 2018), at BBNA’s discretion
  • Starting as early as 2017, pre-medicare retirees would have to pay 50% of their premium (effectively ending retire health insurance).
  • For Medicare eligible retirees, stipend to pay for Medicare supplementary insurance ends in 2017 (the post-12/15 proposal). In the 12/15 proposal the stipend is cut in half in 2018 for the retiree and eliminated for retiree spouse
  • Retiree who is “eligible” for other health insurance gets nothing under either proposal
  • In post 12/15 proposal pension accrual rate for current employees cut in half.
  • Under post 12/15 proposal, automatic 401(k) contribution ended for new hires and the match is reduced
  • In post-12/15 proposal, RIF severance max reduced to 52 weeks and accrual rate cut in half; just cause severance reduced to 26 weeks. Employee would have to agree not to file a grievance or take other legal action to get severance in either case.
  • BBNA demands right to classify employees and new hires as managers or supervisors (taking them out of the bargaining unit) and the Guild is not allowed to file a grievance.
  • Company would be allowed to hire as many “contractors” as it wants, for at least 12 months at a time
  • Guild representatives no longer allowed in office for routine matters.
  • Guild no longer allowed to hold lunchtime membership meetings
  • New hires no longer allowed to attend Guild orientation
  • Past practices would “disappear”
  • BBNA would be allowed issue new policies, or change current policies without bargaining
  • Employees’ right to flexible work arrangements would end
  • BBNA would have the right to reassign employees to any job it sees fit.
  • Employees could be scheduled for nights, weekends or a four day work week. Weekend differential eliminated
  • Overtime pay only after 40 hours in a week (holidays, vacation, sick leave days don’t count toward the 40 hours)
  • Overtime cash payment ended for employees G9 and above and for some G8 employees
  • Unpaid leaves of absence taken only at discretion of management
  • A mother who takes more than 30 days unpaid leave for the birth of a child would have to pay the full health insurance premium past the first month.
  • Layoff notice reduced from 60 days to two weeks. BBNA allowed to exempt up to 50% of “work unit” from seniority rights (if BBNA wants to keep a new hire over an experienced worker it can, and the decision is not subject to grievance or arbitration)
  • Bumping rights are eliminated
  • The rehire list is reduced to six months (currently two years)
  • Internal candidates get no preference for filling job openings
  • The minority traineeship program is ended
  • “News and editorial” employees required to sign “disclosure statements” regarding any outside employment or outside “activities.” BBNA has right to stop such employment/activity. There would be no right to grievance or arbitration.
  • Successors clause in Duration article would be eliminated and pay raises would not continue past expiration