Chicago Sun-Times wants journalists to work a 10-hour day before getting overtime

[Newsjock]

http://jimromenesko.com/2012/12/18/chicago-sun-times-wants-journalists-to-work-a-10-hour-day-before-getting-overtime

The Chicago Newspaper Guild says it was “dismayed” to see Sun-Times owner Wrapports’ three demands in its three-page offer for a three-year contract. They are:

Creation of a new, lower-paid classification of reporters, photographers, designers and copy editors, to work at units for up to two years, for as low as $13.50 per hour. Up to five of these so-called interns could work at any Guild unit, in hopes of being hired permanently;

Establishment of a 10 hour day before overtime is paid. Pioneer Press employees already labor under this extraordinary requirement, and the Company wants to impose it on all Guild-represented units that now operate under more reasonable overtime parameters;

Maintenance of the existing Memorandum of Understanding, which in 2009 cut our pay a minimum of 15 percent through various mechanisms, and which cut our job security by eliminating most of the jurisdiction and seniority protections embedded in our contracts.

Read the Guild bulletin at the link.

[Major Nikon]

1. Unless they are FLSA exempt, the company doesn't have that option

...and the union can't bargain it away. The FLSA takes precedence over any contract.

[leveymg]

2. Their reporters are expected to work as "interns" at $13.50/hr for 2 years?

[Teamster Jeff]

3. The Sun Times will be gone soon

It keeps getting smaller and is filled mostly with ads. It's not even worth the 75 cents they charge now.

[MANative]

4. Join the club...

My husband is a Manager at a large chain pharmacy, making under $40K/year and is required to work 55 hours per week with NO overtime pay, ever. They even make them punch in to a time-clock. Big companies do this because they can, and will continue to get away with this until there aren't enough bodies to actually do the work. Only then will the pendulum shift back in favor of the worker. It'll be a while, yet.