December 21, 2009
For Immediate Release
HILO – Hawaii Newspaper Guild-represented employees of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald are boosting their efforts to make the community aware of their plight after the company indicated earlier this month it was not extending the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Their first step will be an informational picket line in front of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald at 355 Kinoole Street in Hilo.
Picketing will commence Monday, December 21, at 7:30-8 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 4:30-5:30 p.m.
The public will not be prohibited from doing their business. Members of Hawaii Newspaper Guild, Local 39117, will be donating their personal time off to inform the public about the Stephens Media-owned newspaper’s cancellation of the bargaining contract, effective Dec. 22.
“Merry Christmas, the company says, as it gives a lump of coal to its own workers, many of whom have had their wages frozen for the last eight years. Ongoing negotiations have borne little fruit due to the company’s strategy of dragging out talks until one side gives in. This will not work.” said Wayne Cahill, Administrative Officer for the Hawaii Newspaper Guild.
“Advertisers should ask how many of their dollars over the years have gone to pay the Tribune-Herald’s union-busting lawyer Michael Zinser. Meanwhile, wages earned by Tribune-Herald employees stay on the Big Island to support Big Island businesses. The Newspaper Guild continues to work toward a fair contract on behalf of its members. The newspaper’s management needs to know that Guild members will not be cowed or bullied into accepting a contract that would gut the Guild’s ability and right to represent the members,” continued Cahill.
Rather than weakening the union, the contract’s notice of termination has energized it. Several more employees have signed union membership cards this month alone.
“Faced with the loss of an automatic payroll deduction for dues payments, members have signed up en masse to have a third party conduct an automatic bank account deduction. While this will preserve the union’s strength, the pressure will need to come from the community. We are calling on our community to sign pledge cards to cancel their subscriptions should the need arise,” said Cahill.
The Guild is now preparing for future challenges from the company by asking the community to support the union. Guild supporters can sign pledge cards in advance that would cancel their newspaper subscriptions, if the union deems such an action necessary.
Forms are available online at tribuneunion.wordpress.com and will also be distributed during the picket line on Monday. Supporters may also request a form via fax at (808) 585-6465 or email: unionhawaii@gmail.com. Completed forms should be returned directly to the union via mail, fax or email at: Hawaii Newspaper Guild, 475 Kinoole Street #102, PMB #172, Hilo, HI 96720-2900; fax (808) 585-6465; email:unionhawaii@gmail.com. Supporters will be notified that their subscription is being cancelled prior to the union submitting the forms to the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
For more information, contact Hawaii Newspaper Guild Administrative Officer Wayne Cahill at (808) 531-5455 or 1-800-984-3484; e-mail:wcahill@cwahawaii.org. Future updates will also be posted on our website at www.tribuneunion.wordpress.com.
