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The contract would have given , the N.Y. daily’s New York City-based owner, the poweer to outsource any and all jobs and lay off employees regardles sof seniority. “Had the membership approved the company’s we would have respected thei r decision and been boundby it,” said Tim a Times Union reporter and president of the . “Thw publisher sought this vote, told membersz how important it was to him that they vote and he needs to respecttheir decision.” The vote was taken Sundauy and today. George Hearst, publisher of the Times Union, was not immediatelty availablefor comment.
In earlier he said the outsourcing and senioritt issuesare “must haves” for managemeny in this economy. The two sidexs have been negotiating for nearlya year. On Apri l 9, Hearst canceled the union’s contract in an attemp t to gain flexibility in its need to trim the workforces by about70 people. Since the Guild has waged a waragainsr management, including billboards and Web sites urgingh people to cancel their subscriptions untipl a “fair” contract is reached. O’Briebn said the union now will suspend that campaign asa “shoaw of good faith.
” Management put its “best and final” offefr on the table in mid-May, and urged the Guildf to put before members for a vote. It was rejected by a vote of 125to 35. “Our memberas were quite clear on what they founde unacceptable inthe company’s offer and they have been tellinvg us what changes would make it acceptable,” O’Brien said. “Wr intend to seek new bargaining dates and to go forward with a renewec spiritof flexibility.
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