The NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia

CITY WAGE TAX HIT

Dear Guild Members: Well, the thrill of a pay raise was short-lived for some. Yes, Guild members received a 3% pay raise last Friday but some actually received a paycheck that was SMALLER than before the raise. Why? Because the Company’s sale of SPP went through, making 801 Market the only official worksite and subjecting […]

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PAY RAISE JUST DAYS AWAY.

March 22, 2021billrossInquirer

Dear Guild Members:  We start this first full week of spring with something that should delight you: The 3% pay raise for full-time Guild members (prorated for part-timers) negotiated in the current contract is supposed to make its first appearance in this week’s paycheck. So, please make sure you check that it, indeed, has shown […]

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PENSION UPDATE

Dear Guild members: We will end this week the way we began it: with an update on where things stand with what we believe might be a full rescue of the Guild pension on its way. THE BACKGROUND: As Monday’s bulletin said, the $1.9 trillion stimulus package approved by Congress and signed by President Biden […]

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A RESCUE PLAN?

March 8, 2021billrossInquirer

Happy International Women’s Day! A potentially amazing thing MIGHT have happened over the weekend with the Senate passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: It just MIGHT save the Guild pension. (And for members hired more recently after the Company stopped contributing to the pension fund and instead offered 401(k) matches, […]

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AN HOUR OF HYPOCRISY

February 19, 2021billrossGuild News, Inquirer

Dear Guild members: Just a few moments into this morning’s Inquirer “town hall,” the 2021 Strategic Plan slide appeared on the screen that included this entry on culture: “Embrace diverse perspectives throughout our organization and in the work we produce. Create an equitable and inclusive culture that thrives on open communication and collaboration with each other […]

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WE PROMISED A FOLLOW UP

February 17, 2021billrossInquirer

Dear Guild Members: Bill Ross and I just met with Lauren Kauffman from People & Culture and Tony Cuffie from Labor for a briefing on a performance management system that will roll out soon.  This program — intended, as the Company says, to help provide a more meaningful structure to achieve merit raises, advancement opportunities […]

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YOUR PAY EQUITY QUESTIONS

February 16, 2021billrossGuild News, Inquirer

Dear Guild Members: Many of you have sent questions about the publisher’s announcement this afternoon that it intends to acknowledge what the Guild has been saying — and backing up with the company’s own data — for years: Pay disparity exists at The Inquirer. We had asked our consultant to update the results of a […]

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THE TEMPLE AUDIT; NO TIME TO WASTE

February 12, 2021billrossGuild News, Inquirer, Media

Dear Guild members,  The Temple audit of The Inquirer documents and quantifies what has been known and, sadly, largely ignored for decades by newsroom leaders, most of them now gone.  The NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia hopes the audit — and its painful accounting of inequities that have harmed employees of color and rendered The Inquirer irrelevant […]

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Yesterday’s Insurrection

January 7, 2021billrossInquirer

Dear Guild member, Yesterday’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a threat to democracy and an assault on press freedoms.   While a violent mob roamed the Capitol, reporters continued doing their jobs, despite knowing that they were likely targets of the attackers since silencing the free press has long been a strategy for fascists. […]

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Winter Storm, You Have Teladoc $0 Copay

December 16, 2020billrossInquirer

Winter Storm Gail Reminder NewsGuild of Philadelphia, You have access to $0 Copay Teladoc. Remember to make sure you’ve set up your Teladoc account in case you need to talk to a Doctor during the storm. Stay safe and warm! Teladoc doctors are available 24/7 for you and your eligible dependents, in 20 minutes on average, throughout the […]

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