St. Paul Contract Gives Raises for Next 3 Years

By: Joshua Freed, Associated Press Writer (AP) The Saint Paul Pioneer Press has reached a tentative contract agreement with the union that represents reporters and other employee groups.

The Minnesota Newspaper Guild Typographic Union represents 480 people, including reporters, advertising salespeople, and circulation workers -- about half the work force at the Knight Ridder-owned newspaper, the state's second largest.

The five-year agreement reached Wednesday provides raises of 2.5% in 2003 and 2004, and 3% in 2005 and 2007 -- when top scale members will be paid $64,487. No raise will be given in 2006. The union had sought raises of about 4% a year. A vote is expected within two weeks.

Negotiations had focused on "strike sympathy language," which was removed from the contract. The language allowed the Guild to walk out in solidarity with other unions at the newspaper if one of its smaller unions went on strike.

Health insurance premiums also rose for employees.

The old contract expired more than a year ago and union members were discussing a strike, although no strike vote was taken.

Union members at the state's largest newspaper, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, ratified a new contract, the union announced Wednesday.

The Star Tribune contract covers about 400 news, circulation, and promotion employees. The five-year deal includes raises of 2% in the first year, 2.5% in the second and third years, and 3% in the fourth and fifth years, when senior reporters will make $69,919.

The Star Tribune is owned by The McClatchy Co. of Sacramento, Calif.