Picketing at UPI p.

By: Debra Gersh

Wire Service Guild members allege unpaid health claims and protest the lack of a contract despite a new owner
THERE HAS BEEN informational picketing at United Press International before, but this may be the first time part of it was done in Arabic.
Frustrated by salaries still reduced since 1990 under former owners, by unpaid health claims and, mostly, by nine months of a new owner and no contract, Wire Service Guild members picketed for an hour during lunchtime in front of the UPI building in Washington, D.C., on March 25.
Chanting "Nuriid haqqanaa, We want our rights," about 40 Unipressers and others from supporting unions ? including the Translators Guild, who supplied the Arabic ? marched in front of the UPI building with placards and leaflets. A number of those who were unable to join the march signed a petition supporting those on the line.
The Arabic-language chants and signs were designed as a message to UPI's newest owner, Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC), a London-based company controlled by interests in Saudi Arabia.
Placards in English were more readily understood by passers-by: "Pay health claims now;" "It's fairness, stupid;" "Under Paid International;" and "You can't eat prestige;" among others.
"We need to send a message to the owners of the company that the employees care about UPI and that the best way they can recognize the sacrifices we've been making is to give us a contract without further delay," said Doug Levy, a member of the WSG negotiating team and UPI science writer.
Despite negotiations, union and management representatives have been unable to reach a contract agreement since MBC bought UPI nine months ago.
"We tried very hard to give the company the breathing room it needs to reorganize," Levy said, referring to a company request to put off negotiations a few weeks instead of beginning immediately after its purchase.
"We expected to be treated with respect and to reach a contract. The company has been ignoring us. We had no choice but to take our concerns outside," Levy explained.
UPI executive editor/executive vice president Steve Geimann said he was aware of the picketing, that he "heard their message and . . . heard their impatience," but no action was taken as a result.
Geimann said he thought the employees were expressing their opinions and frustrations, frustrations that occur when "something does not happen as quickly as you want."
The employees, the company and the union all have their timetables, he said, noting that the employees apparently feel things are not moving as fast as they would like.
He declined comment on a company timetable but confirmed that the first part of a multiphase Booze-Allen & Hamilton study has been completed. The study is designed to help UPI develop a formal business plan, identifying the best prospects for its future.
When UPI emerged from bankruptcy court last year, "the original mission was to maintain operations and identify a plan for the future," Geimann said, noting that now that plan is being formalized.
The picketing coincided with the first visit to UPI by its new owners from Saudi Arabia, Sheik Walid Bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, chairman of UPI, and Abdullah Masri, executive director of MBC and UPI. Also in town from London was Robert Kennedy, deputy chief executive of MBC and acting president of UPI.
The executives were in Washington for the annual Gridiron dinner. Helen Thomas, UPI White House chief correspondent, is the Gridiron's first woman president.
Geimann said the Saudi executives were not in the building while the picketing was going on and made no comment.
They spent some of their time in Washington at UPI March 27.