News Media Guild

CORAL GABLES, Fla. April 5, 2006 – The News Media Guild pressed for fair holiday provisions today in talks with the EFE News Service, saying the company’s policy in New York and Washington should be extended to its Florida employees.

Currently, Florida employees receive less holiday time than their northern counterparts, as well as less time than provided to the company’s Spanish expatriate employees.

“We’re simply saying to EFE that we should be treated as well as the company treats its other workers,” said Benito García, the chair of the bargaining committee. “The company treats it Spanish workers fairly, and we are asking the same for U.S. employees,” echoed Jorge Bañales, a Washington, D.C. reporter.

The union and the company moved closer to agreement on other holiday provisions, including the concept of “premium pay” for employees who work on a holiday. The premium would be 1.5 times the rate of pay for holiday work. In addition, the Guild proposed that workers be able to take compensating time off instead of extra money, at the worker’s choice, an option that could save the company money in payroll taxes.

EFE said it was studying the union’s proposals and would respond at the next meeting. The company said it was concerned that if employees accumulate too much comp time, it could impair news operations. The Guild bargaining committee is discussing the possibility of a cap on the time to address the company’s concerns.

In other areas, the Guild and the company and the union made progress on the probationary employee language and the checkoff articles of a proposed contract.

The Guild and the company tentatively agreed to resume talks April 27th or 28th.

Representing the Guild were García, Bañales, and Tony Winton, NMG president.
Representing EFE were Miami Bureau Chief Emilio Sánchez and attorney Rudy Gómez.