Philly newspaper guild, management reach tentative agreement

In continued efforts to save the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, the Newspaper Guild Bargaining Committee announced late yesterday a tentative agreement with management that will keep the papers in circulation for at least the next two years.The new contract includes a 2.5 percent pay cut, two furlough weeks for newspaper employees and a promise not to lay off guild members in the first year. Media analyst Jim Romensko published the Bargaining Committee’s memo to employees on his site.

The memo also details a new employee review program that “will not be used a mechanism to fire longtime employees.” The guild fired a grievance last year over reporter reassigments, alleging age discrimination by management.

One thing that one change for guild members under the new contract? Their vacation and sick time, and 401k match provisions will remain the same. The contract could be ratified next week.