Long Beach Press-Telegram contract (2003)

This contract is made this 30th day of November, 20003, between the Press-Telegram, a division of Garden State Newspapers Inc., a corporation, hereinafter known as the Employer, and the Southern California Media Guild, a Local (#39069) chartered by The Newspaper Guild - Communications Workers of America (AFL-CIO, CLC) hereinafter known as the Guild, for itself and on behalf of all employees of the Employer described in Article I.

ARTICLE II - Maintenance of Membership

1. Any employee who elects to become a member of the Guild must, as a condition of continued employment, remain a member in good standing throughout the term of this agreement. The Guild agrees to notify all new members of their “Beck rights.”

2. All employees in the bargaining unit shall have thirty (30) days from the date of the execution and thirty (30) days immediately prior to the expiration date of this Agreement, to withdraw their Guild membership without consequence in any manner.

3. Neither the Employer nor the Guild shall discriminate against or harass any employee because of membership or non-membership status in the Guild. The Employer shall not interfere with the legally and contractually permissible operations of the Guild, and the Guild, its agents and its members shall not coerce or harass non-members in any way.

4. Except as provided herein, Guild membership shall be deemed voluntary.

ARTICLE III - Dues Deduction

1. Upon an employee's voluntary written assignment, the Employer shall deduct biweekly from the biweekly earnings of such employee, and remit to the Guild not later than the 10th day of each month, an amount equal to the Guild’s monthly dues required to maintain membership in good standing. Such amounts shall be deducted from the employee's earnings in accordance with the Guild's schedule of rates furnished to the Employer by the Guild. Such schedule may be amended by the Guild at any time. An employee's voluntary written assignment shall be revocable at the will of the employee and shall cease to be effective by operation of the expiration of the term of this Agreement, unless said term is extended by the parties. An employee's voluntary written assignment shall be revocable at the will of the employee and shall cease to be effective by operation of the expiration of the term of this Agreement, unless said term is extended by the parties.

ARTICLE IV - Hiring

1. The Employer shall notify the Guild of each vacancy and shall give consideration to the hiring of candidates supplied by the Guild. However, the Employer may fill any position at its discretion from any source.

2. If a current employee who made application for an open position is not selected, the Employer will notify the employee of the action taken and, upon request of the employee, the Employer will meet with the employee for advisory purposes only.

3. The Employer shall hire employees without regard to age, sex, race, creed, color, national origin, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, and/or other circumstances protected by applicable law.

4. The Employer shall use hiring practices which are intended to achieve a diverse work force. The Guild will cooperate with the Publisher in sharing and receiving leads in support of this goal.

5. The Guild agrees not to intentionally disrupt the application (recruitment, interviewing and selection) process of any individual job candidate.

6. The Employer agrees not to have or enter into an agreement with a non-affiliated employer binding such other employer not to offer or give employment to an employee of the Employer. With regard to affiliated employers, no employee with more than six (6) months service in his/her current position with the Press-Telegram shall be prohibited from applying for and being considered for a position with another affiliated employer or the Press-Telegram.

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