Tag Archives: dismissal pay

AP proposes dead-end positions to handle news work

The Associated Press on Thursday proposed a new dead-end editorial unit classification that would turn over newsperson work to a group of people with little experience who would work for no more than two years.

The new class of workers, called news associates, would do Class A news work in all formats for the state news report, including pickups, daybooks, editorial roundups and other work, along with filing photos and videos and captioning photos. The company said it needs a fixed-cost way to meet increasing demands with fewer EU staffers.

The AP said it would hire no more than 16 news associates at one time. They would work on the four regional desks.

Top-scale Class A employees now performing those chores and other news duties are now paid $1,250.99 a week. Continue reading →

Guild makes health insurance proposal, fights firings of 2 staffers

The News Media Guild today proposed a health insurance plan that includes higher premiums and deductibles but does not include a high-deductible plan or coinsurance.

The Guild’s health insurance proposal would save the company $1 million in the first year, which would keep the company’s costs flat. It includes a 25 percent increase in the premium plan the first year and 8 percent, which is about market trend, for 2014-15. The Guild proposed the 25 percent increase to give employees a clear choice between a better premium plan or a less expensive basic plan rather than having almost no cost difference.

To see proposal, click here.

The Guild’s proposal includes the same increases for the technology unit, but based on its rates, which a health and welfare fund has subsidized for years. That fund is running out of money, and the Guild wants to raise the TU rates more slowly.

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