May 23, 2018 – Gannett and the Indianapolis Star are holding journalists’ pay raises hostage in an effort to coerce them into signing a contract “that sticks our members with a terrible deal and higher health cases costs,” the Indianapolis NewsGuild is charging.
“Rather than come to the negotiating table with a reasonable proposal,” management has decided to “withhold merit pay increases until a contract is signed,” the Guild reported.
“Long gone are the days when hard-working Star journalists could expect simple cost-of-living pay increases. Now Gannett is even holding merit pay increases hostage,” the local wrote in a post on its website.
Meanwhile, Gannett CEO Bob Dickey got a $42,000 raise last year and a $100,000 raise the year before, the local said.
At the heart of the dispute is a disagreement over health coverage.
In a prior contract, Guild members negotiated an exit from Gannett’s health care plan, which they considered inadequate. “We found a better deal through the United Furniture Workers Insurance Fund — at no additional cost to Gannett,” they said.
But now management is attempting to force workers to return to Gannett’s health plan, which would cost employees more for inferior coverage. Gannett’s bargaining proposal would exempt the company from being a signatory to the “insurance agreement” with United Furniture Workers, which would effectively end Guild members’ participation in the plan.
“That’s why we’re fighting,” the local wrote.