WASHINGTON-BALTIMORE NEWS GUILD
Minutes of General Membership Meeting
December 7, 2019
Steve Cook (Bloomberg Industries Group) president, presiding.
There was insufficient attendance at the meeting for a quorum.
President’s report: Cook said he is focusing on monopoly issues in his work as Region 2 vice president on TNG’s Sector Executive Council, principally the Gannett-Gatehouse merger and Alden Global Capital’s becoming the single largest stockholder of Tribune Co.
2020 meeting schedule: Meeting dates for the year were discussed. A draft was distributed. After discussion, Cook said he would tweak the dates and submit them as an Executive Council board poll.
Permanent filling of Executive Council vacancy: With no quorum, no nominations (or vote, if needed) to permanently fill the Executive Council at-large delegate vacancy could be conducted. It was deferred to the January membership meeting.
North Carolina AFL-CIO: The unit signed a three-year contract with management, calling for raises of 7.4% in 0220, 3% in 2021 and 2% in 2022. There is also an additional paid holiday, update job descriptions. A management staff review process was OKd in the contract, but management cannot use it for discipline.
Southern Poverty Law Center: Management gave the Guild 24 legal fellows positions in the bargaining unit, bringing the number to 240-plus. Representation ballots were to be counted Dec. 16.
Good and Welfare: Jazmin Gargoum (at-large) brought up continuing issues about not meeting quorum at the Executive Council, with no incentive for attending — or sanction for unexcused absences.
Cook said a Working America member asked if the local has a Christmas party. The answer has been no, and there’s no budget assigned to it. The New York local has one, and posted pictures of it.
There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark Pattison (Catholic News Service)
Washington-Baltimore News Guild