CHRONICLE UNIT BULLETIN

Buyout clock ticks til March 31

Job search help and career workshops coming

18 Mar 2009

Media Workers Guild

REDUCTION IN FORCE BULLETIN
17 March 2009
Chronicle Unit California Media Workers Guild

Please post on Guild bulletin boards

Yes, Chronicle Media Workers, there is a voluntary termination period -- and career and unemployment workshops, too

Guild leaders met with management this morning (Mon., March 16) to finalize details of the upcoming reduction in force (RIF). Employees will have until March 31 to volunteer for termination, with applications expected to be available by Wednesday morning. Further details below:

Voluntary termination period: March 18 until 5 p.m. March 31.
Once you sign the voluntary application, you will have only three business days to rescind. Applications are expected to be available by Wednesday, March 18, on ChronWeb and in the HR Dept. The negotiated severance package is two weeks of pay for each year of service, in addition to company-paid COBRA for a commensurate period. Those who are certain that they want to leave The Chronicle can contact CFO Suzy Cain at scain@sfchronicle.com or Local Rep Linda Frediani at lfrediani@mediaworkers.org.

Pension: If your departure is time sensitive, please make sure that you note it on your buyout application and with CFO Suzy Cain at scain@sfchronicle.com or Local Rep Linda Frediani at lfrediani@mediaworkers.org.

Involuntary layoffs: Involuntary terminations won’t begin to occur until mid-April.

WARN Act notice CLARIFICATION: Both federal and state laws require 60 days’ notice in the event of a mass layoff or plant closing, and the company has acknowledged that a WARN notice will be required by the end of April. Voluntary terminations are not covered under the act, so, for the first round of layoffs, it is doubtful a WARN notice will be initiated.
If the company intends to involuntarily lay off  more than 50 employees within 30 days, notice to the Guild and the individual, as well as to the government, will be required. What that means to individuals laid off after that notice goes out is this: You must be kept on the payroll and your benefits must be continued for 60 days. The severance you are entitled to under the contract amendment is in addition to this for those who are involuntarily laid off.

FREE CAREER WORKSHOPS: (Thursday panel location change)
Due to high demand, THURSDAY’S FORMER COLLEAGUES PANEL AND Q&A HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE GOLDEN GATE CONFERENCE ROOM AT THE CHRON. Don’t forget to please RSVP by 5 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, at deveramichelle@gmail.com.

Panel and Q&A: Former colleagues talk about leaving the newspaper industry and their job-search process. 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, March 19. Free. Golden Gate Conference Room (basement), The Chronicle, 901 Mission St. RSVP by 5 p.m. March 18 at deveramichelle@gmail.com.

Career transitioning: Resume revamping and job-search tips with career coach Mark Gutenberg of the nonprofit Jewish Vocational Service in San Francisco. 10-11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 22. Free. CWA Local 9415 hall, 1831 Park Blvd., Oakland. RSVP by 5 p.m. March 18 at deveramichelle@gmail.com.

UNEMPLOYMENT WORKSHOPS
Unemployment workshops March 24: A 90-minute presentation on applying for unemployment and unemployment resources. Two sessions. Noon and 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 24. Golden Gate Conference Room (basement), The Chronicle, 901 Mission St.

QUESTIONS: Members with any questions or suggestions can contact your shop steward or e-mail Unit Chair Michelle Devera, Local President Mike Cabanatuan or Unit Secretary Alissa Van Cleave.

In solidarity,
Michelle Devera, Unit chair
Mike Cabanatuan, Local president
Alissa Van Cleave, Unit secretary

California Media Workers Guild
433 Natoma St., San Francisco
(415) 421-6833, www.mediaworkers.org
CMWG/TNG-CWA 39521*AFL-CIO