The Pacific Media Workers Guild, the Newspaper Guild local that now includes the union’s units in Hawaii, has announced a tentative contract agreement covering employees of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
The deal calls for a 10% pay raise over the 5 year term of the contract, with a 1.5% boost in each of the first three years, followed by 2.5% and 3% in the final two years.
In several other areas, benefits will be reduced or employees will have to pay more. Employees’ share of health insurance premiums will rise in two steps from the current 10% to 20% in 2013. In addition, spouses who are eligible for another health care plan, such as from their employer, will no longer be eligible for the S-A coverage.
Employees will lose one annual holiday, maximum sick leave will drop by half (from four weeks to two weeks), and long-time employees will no longer earn a fifth week of vacation after 24 years with the company.
The Guild had 80 members at the Star-Advertiser as of 9/30/2010.
Members of the Guild’s bargaining committee were Heather Ahue, Derrick DePledge, Rob Shikina, Gene Park, Sjarif Goldstein, Gary Chun, Cynthia Oi, and Jenny Delos Santos.
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Sounds like the union didn’t do too well. They are all most likely happy just to be working regardless of the product they put out.
Former Tizer staffers comment doesn’t hold water….the Guild as well as all union staffers have had ZERO increases for at least 7 years….maybe longer. In fact, Gannett forced a 10% wage REDUCTION 3 or 4 years ago so from my perspective it looks like they finally got something. jealousy is a cruel thing…..
First we hear the SA is spending tens of thousands of dollars suing the C and C for the 911 tapes and then the Gov for OIP violations and now they are giving the first decent raises journalists have seen in nearly a decade. Things must be much better indeed. Good for them.
lol – I also have heard the “I’m just happy to be working” comment from *many* SB/SA people. Given the long-term downslide in US newspapers, the former Tiser staffer has a pretty good grip on the truth. Simmer down.
I’m just happy to be working??? Cant most people say that these days? Or maybe you have some sort of dream job that the rest of us don’t have. I bet the teachers don’t agree with that silly statement…. You go ahead and wish for the demise …..meanwhile the S-A will keep 4 or 5 hundred people employed. cripes, even when the news is good some of you want to harp something negative. Whatever ….
lol again – like many people, I do not wish for the long-term demise of US newspapers. But what we “wish” for has not stopped the industry’s shrinkage at all. Control your temper, please.
That S-A raise is pretty low. Hubby is hoping for a 3% to 5% raise in September for his private sector job. Cross fingers!
Keep wishing Gigi…..according to a PBN article a few months ago the everage employer raise for 2012 will be 1 to 2% and that doesn’t include those considering pay cuts. A 3 to 5% raise has only happened in times of a booming economy and huge job growth. Hawaii and the rest of the country are likely years away from that.
Just read the Sunday paper…..by the amount of advertising it hardly looks to be in “demise” mode……maybe you meant the radio industry?? Now you go simmer down……
No. Wrong again.
I clearly was referring to all of the US newspapers that have shut down in the past 20 years, including the Honolulu Advertiser, which left Oahu with only one (1) daily newspaper.
Simmer down, please. Or don’t simmer down. Your attitude makes me laugh. 🙂
For an easy-to-find list of US newspapers that are now dead, here is a list that only dates back to 2007:
Tucson Citizen
Rocky Mountain News
Baltimore Examiner
Kentucky Post
Cincinnati Post
King County Journal
Union City Register-Tribune
Halifax Daily News
Albuquerque Tribune
South Idaho Press
San Juan Star
And, of course, Honolulu Advertiser.
Wrong again and his LOL’s just prove his industry ignorance. The five largest papers he mentioned were part of a JOA . The circulation didn’t disappear it just went to the other paper. 90% of the operation doesn’t go away….it has already been combined for the last 30 years or so. Advertising finance circulation IT production HR marketing ……all one already so nothing really “closes” the other tiny papers most have never heard of so who knows? There are over 1300 daily papers in the US……btw Hailfax is in Canada last time I checked. So Mr LOL I ask you again, whachoo talkin about Willis???? A closer look doesn’t look like much has closed at all. Demise???? Now that ‘s a true LOL…..
LOL again! the continuing, long-term shrinkage of newspaper circulation and advertising CAUSED these and many other newspapers to shutter, not vice versa, “sir”.
as such, the circulation of the *merged* Star-Bulletin/Advertiser is actually less than the Honolulu Advertiser’s newspaper circulation 2 years ago, which is nothing secret.
but i’m sure you can come up with some angry way of explaining that, too. 🙂
as for “whachoo talkin about Willis????” I think you have many people LOL now! 🙂 please keep it up with the perspectives, my friend! i love this.
by the way, my reference is to actual paid circulation —- not to “readership”, which news companies love to trumpet when business isn’t doing so hot.
“readership” is not audited and has less meaning to the No. 1 source of news revenue: advertisers.
wrong again LOL. Readership has been audited by ABC for several years…..you’ve been out of the business too long…..keep it civil. The beat goes on…