By: Joe Strupp Although leaders of the Newspaper Guild representing workers at the
Saint Paul Pioneer Press tentatively agreed to a new five-year contract last week, local Guild leaders are unhappy with the deal. "It's nothing to celebrate and I don't like it," said Mike Sweeney, executive officer of the Minnesota Newspaper Guild/Typographical Union Local 37002, which represents 480
Pioneer Press workers. "But it is the best we could get in this economy."
The new deal, which comes after 15 months of often-difficult negotiating that included a byline strike and recent weekly picketing, and runs through 2007. It includes an 11% raise spread out over the length of the contract, with increases in employee contributions to health coverage and the removal of the Guild's sympathy strike protection.
"The tentative agreement will position us well in our competitive market as we seek to better serve our readers and advertisers," Publisher Harold Higgins said in a statement.
The full Guild membership must still approve the package, which is expected to be voted on in the next week.
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