(The following appeared on the Post Guild Facebook page.)
Fellow catalysts,
We’re very pleased to announced today that we have just signed the new, two-year collective bargaining agreement between the Washington-Baltimore News Guild and The Washington Post.
The 2.5 percent raise in the first year of the contract will become effective at the beginning of the first payroll period following the date of signing. The Post’s lead negotiator told us the raise will not show up in paychecks this week for obvious reasons but he believes it will likely appear in the next one. All Guild-covered employees will also receive a 2 2 percent pay hike in the second year of the contract.
On behalf of myself and fellow members of the bargaining committee, I want to thank everyone in the Guild-covered bargaining unit who had our backs these past eight months. We can’t thank you enough for joining (50-plus new dues-paying members), petitioning, and marching with us.
The first takeaway from these past eight months is that despite the very painful loss caused by the Post’s decision to freeze the traditional pension, the presence of a union forced the company to reach compromise on pay, healthcare and many other important benefits. Without a union to speak up on everyone’s behalf, the company would have had the right to unilaterally impose its way not just with the pension but with many other unfavorable terms.
The second takeaway is that we need to begin now to strengthen the labor movement right here in our building.
Please stay tuned in the coming weeks and months, and please give careful consideration to joining the Guild. Or, if you’re already a member, please consider stepping up your involvement. We are only as strong as all of you.