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October 17-23, 2002 on media SoundbitesAfter months of negotiations with Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. (PNI) management, the leadership of the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia, Local 10, announced late on Tuesday that it had reached a tentative agreement that would rescind the layoffs of the 10 part-time Inquirer editorial assistants who were slated for dismissal this month, and provide protection for jobs in advertising that were threatened by pending computer technology. One of the sticking points of the agreement, to be voted on by the membership next Tuesday, would also impose new guidelines for how sales are divvied up between salaried and commissioned staff. "Both sides wanted a lot more than they got," says Guild President Henry Holcomb, "but we did get a lot of things that are very valuable to our members." One of the union's most significant trade-offs with management was the executive board decision to allow non-salaried commissioned salespeople, previously limited to accounts under $100,000, access to sales opportunities up to $500,000. To protect the salaried salespeople, no more than 10 percent of the number of accounts generating revenue between $100,000 and $500,000 would be able to be transferred from salaried to commissioned sales staff, and no accounts over $350,000 will be transferred at all. Salaried sales staffers do not make commissions, but receive cash bonuses and other incentives. "We did raise the size of the accounts that the commissioned salespeople could keep," Holcomb says. "This benefits them, but raises concerns about salaried salespeople. They're worried about losing some of their accounts." Board member Carol Rothman, who works in advertising, says she expects it to be a "volatile issue" when the vote comes up next week. Of the 12-member executive union board that voted on this tentative plan, two opposed it. Rob Barron, the PNI vice president of labor relations who attended every formal meeting between the Guild and management, says that although both sides made concessions, he believes all are satisfied with the tentative agreement. "We did things that we're comfortable having agreed to," Barron says. "But we were, let's say, persuaded that we needed to move on some issues, and the union did, as well." As for the "Inky 10" (which dwindled to the Inky Seven when two editorial assistants found employment at other companies and one was promoted to another position internally), their jobs will be saved if the deal is ratified, and those who left will be entitled to return to their former positions. In July, Inky editor and executive vice president Walker Lundy announced sweeping changes in the newsroom. He cited the need to lay off the EAs to afford hiring 40 new reporters whose primary focus would be the suburbs. In August and September, hundreds of Guild members, from both The Inquirer and Daily News, took to the streets protesting the layoffs, as well as other perceived inequities faced by suburban staffers. Last week, Managing Editor Anne Gordon said that the hiring process is still under way, but the newly revamped Inky -- a little bit behind schedule -- launched on Tuesday. Yesterday was Daily News reporter Mark Angeles' last day on the job. The seven-year veteran says he has accepted an editor's post in the New York offices of the Associated Press. "I'm taking it because it's a good job," Angeles says, "but mostly because it's in New York. I like New York." In August, he garnered a lot of unwanted publicity when his page one article, "Fugitives Among Us," raised the ire of a consortium of local African-American businessmen. The article, on murder fugitives, was accompanied by a cover depicting the images of 17 wanted men, all non-white. The consortium accused the DN of racism, and demanded the resignations of Editor Zack Stalberg and Managing Editor Ellen Foley. They also implored the African-American community to boycott the paper. In response, Foley did issue an apology, but neither she nor Stalberg left their jobs. While Angeles says he has to "pass" on discussing whether that incident prompted his departure, he did quote a fellow journalist (from another organization) who asked him, incredulously according to Angeles, "When are you guys in the business of apologizing for reporting the truth?" Angeles, treasurer for four years at the Pen & Pencil Club, the oldest private press club in the United States, says that one of his regrets is not being able to run for club president in February -- and also leaving Philadelphia, which he describes as a "great news town." Beginning in December, Angeles will be an editor on the AP's general desk at 50 Rockefeller Center. He says there's also the possibility of an eventual job overseas, and, of course, the big city awaits him. "Hey, it's New York City. I've never done New York City before. But [AP] made me a financial offer that I'm comfortable with -- even though I don't think I'll ever be able to get used to the $14 martinis." Speaking of DN covers, last Friday, when newspaper headlines across the country announced that Congress had overwhelmingly voted to support George W.'s possible attack on Iraq, the DN's headline was "It's Raining Movies." Ellen Foley, DN managing editor, says that decision distinguished the paper from its competition. "We are not saying that movies are more important than war," Foley says, "but our M.O. is that we bring in people for the fun stuff, so that they stay in for the important stuff." Editor Zack Stalberg says that when the big story is one that everyone has already done, the DN tries to do something different. "But I might've preferred another cover that day," he says. The story about the Congressional vote ran on page three. 
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