Washington-Baltimore News Guild
Executive Council Meeting Minutes
Date of Meeting: October 16, 2019
Present: Hau Chu, Steve Cook, David DeJesus, Ed Fortney, Dan Gabor, Jasmine Gargoum, Joel
Gratz, Don Griesheimer, Fatima Hussein, Tom Jackman, Freddy Kunkle, Marissa Lang, Katie
Mettler, Justin Moyer, Sam Nelson, Bill O’Meara, Mark Pattison, Ben Soloway, Jeremy Sprinkle
Excused: Elise Bryant, Mark Gruenberg, Karma Zurkhang
Staff: Rick Ehrmann, Bruce Jett, Paul Reilly, Cet Parks
Meeting was called to order at 7:17 PM
I. Minutes
- July 20, 2019 – Hau Chu motions to approve minutes and motion was seconded. Motions passes to approve July 20, 2109 minutes.
- August 21, 2019 – Hau Chu motions to approve minutes and motion was seconded. Motion passes to approve August 21, 2019 minutes.
- September 21, 2019 – Mark Pattison motions to approve minutes and motion was seconded. Motion passes to approve September 21, 2019 minutes.
II. Membership Report (No Aptify Stats)
- August 21, 2019 & September 21, 2019 – Justin Moyer motions to approve the August and September membership reports and motion was seconded. Motion passes to approve August 21 and September 21, 2019 membership reports.
III. Executive Director’s Report & Staff (Sep & Oct)
Cet Parks
- Baltimore Sun – request approval of July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 contract extension. Justin Moyer motions to approve the request and motion was seconded. Motion passes.
- Solidarity Center –tentative contract agreement reached – requests council approval of contract. Tom Jackman motions to approve and motion was seconded. Motion passes.
- Florida AFL-CIO – requests approval of the bargaining committee consisting of Jerimiah Tattersall, Phyllis Garrett and Cet Parks. Hau Chu motions to approve and motion was seconded. Motion passes.
- UFCW – requests retroactive authority to arbitrate Evan Yeats disciplinary action. Ed Fortney motions to approve and the motion was seconded. Motion passes.
- AFT NEROP – requests retroactive authority to arbitrate David Thomas termination. Justin Moyer motions to approve and motion was seconded. Motion passes.
Rick Ehrmann
- Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) – requests approval of new SAF contract. Jeremy Sprinkle motions to approve contract ratification, and motion was seconded. Motion passes.
- NC State AFL-CIO – requests approval of bargaining committee consisting of Jeremy Sprinkle, Aiden Graham, and Rick Ehrmann. Motion passes.
- Center for Popular Democracy – requests council approval of bargaining committee consisting of Maggie Corser, Michelle Kilpatrick, Dean Mendolera, Francesca Menes, Kate Terenzi and Rick Ehrmann. Hau Chu motions to approve and motion was seconded. Motion passes.
Paul Riley
- AFT-NEROP – requests council approval on new three year contract. Justin Moyer motions to approve and the motion was seconded. Motion passes.
- AFP – requests approval of bargaining team consisting of Rob Lever, Katie Schubauer, Elodie Cuzin, Ian Timberlake, Heather Scott, Paul Sherno and Paul Reilly. Justin Moyer motions to approve and the motion was seconded. Motion passes.
- American Prospect – requests council approval of bargaining team consisting of Marcia Brown, Jonathon Guyer, Alex Sammon and Paul Riley. Hau Chu motions to approve and motion is seconded. Motion passes.
Bruce Jett
- League of Conservation Voters – requests council approval of bargaining team consisting of Liz Jacobs, Emily Woodland, Kevin O’Brien, Jose Dominguez, Tiffany Hsieh, Sammi Sluder and Bruce Jett. Justin Moyer motions to approve and motion is seconded. Motion passes.
- United for Respect – requests council approval of bargaining team consisting of Kendra Cornejo, Maria Rojas and Bruce Jett. Justin Moyer motions to approve and motion is seconded. Motion passes.
Eric Geist
- No action items.
IV. Financials
Summary of Financial Highlights – July 19, 2019
- Mark Pattison motions to approve July financial report and motion is seconded. Motion passes.
Summary of Financial Highlights – August 19, 2019
- Mark Pattison motions to approve August financial report and motion is seconded. Motion passes.
Bob Paul’s invoice – September 19, 2019 & others
- Justin Moyer motions “The Executive Director, President, Treasurer and the local staff as directed by the executive director shall initiate all contact and communications with WBNG legal counsel. The Executive director shall notify retained legal counsel that that no other WBNG member shall initiate contact with WBNG legal counsel that will be billable. This shall not prevent legal counsel from contacting members regarding ongoing matters where contact has already been approved by the ED, president or treasurer. As appropriate when matters are brought to legal counsel and approved for work by the legal counsel, the ED, President or treasurer shall inquire about the expected scope of the work being approved in terms of billable hours. The ED, President and Treasurer shall make every effort to consider if issue to be referred to legal counsel can be resolved or answered in some less costly manner”.
- The motion is seconded and motion passes.
Budget 2020
- Justin Moyer motions to approve a draft budget for 2021/22 by December 31, 2019 and motion is seconded. Mark Pattison presents a friendly amendment to change the date to 2020 and the amended motion is accepted. Motion passes.
V. Old Business
MD State & DC – AFL-CIO Convention
- A roll call vote failed due to lack of quorum, and the motion was moved to a board poll.
MD State & DC AFL-CIO Delegates
- No action taken.
HPAE Investigation
- Fatima Hussein acting as prosecutor for EC regarding charges against Bryan Nelson (HPAE) recommends that no charges should be pursued against Bryan Nelson.
Support for Nascent Guild unit/Arizona Republic
- Mark Pattison requested EC to consider support for Guild unit at Arizona Republic. After discussion it was recommended that EC reach out to Stephanie Basile for further direction.
JWJ Education Fund
- Deferred to next meeting.
CWA PAF
- Jeremy Sprinkle motions to make a donation of 10 cents per member or $157 to the CWA Pediatric Aids Foundation and motion is seconded. Motions fails approval.
American Prospect 30th Anniversary Gala/Testimonial
- No action taken.
President and Steward Training Reports
- Steve Cook discussed Steward Training facilitated by Elise Bryant and Jason Albright.
VI. New Business
CPD 2019 NYC Gala
- No action taken.
Labor Notes Conference
- Deferred to next EC meeting.
Executive Council Vacancy
- Two candidates were nominated to replace the At-Large delegate seat held by Latisha Harvey (Joel Gratz and Jasmine Gargoum). A roll call vote was taken but lacked quorum to establish a valid vote, and a vote will be conducted by Board Poll.
TNG Election
- Katie Mettler discussed importance of upcoming TNG election and requested EC to send out a notice to inform members.
VII. Good & Welfare
- No action taken.
VIII. Personnel Caucus
- No action taken.
IX. Adjournment
- Mark Pattison motions to adjourn and the motion is seconded. Motion passes and meeting was adjourned.