Arbitration Ruling Upholds Newspaper Guild Jurisdiction for News Department Web Content at WPIX

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THE GUILD WINS!!
Arbitration Ruling Upholds Newspaper Guild Jurisdiction for News Department Web Content at WPIX

WPIX violated the collective bargaining agreement between The Newspaper Guild of New York, CWA Local 31003 and WPIX when it removed the Web Producers at Tribune’s flagship New York television station from Guild jurisdiction, Arbitrator Rosemary A. Townley has ruled.

The award requires WPIX to restore the Web Producers to Guild membership with no reduction in base salary and remit back union dues along with the statutory 9% interest, at company expense, for wages paid to the web producers after their removal from the Guild.

In making her determination, Ms. Townley referenced a 2001 arbitration ruling in which Arbitrator John Donoghue concluded that “jurisdiction disputes should be decided based not on the job title, but rather on the work performed.” Donoghue further stated that while the management rights clause in the agreement confirms the rights of management over work assignment, it does not empower management to unilaterally remove work from Guild jurisdiction by giving the same work a new title.

Ms. Townley also ruled on April 6 that WPIX violated the collective bargaining agreement by not meeting with the Guild prior to changing the job title and duties of the employees responsible for web content.

“We are very pleased that the arbitrator agreed with The Guild’s view that the employees creating content for the website should be covered by, and protected by, the union contract” said New York Guild President Bill O’Meara, a former News Editor at WPIX. “The Guild will continue to fight for the rights of our members” he added.