Updated re Sault Star union
A Sault Star staffer says Sun Media's performance points are coming to the unionized Sun Media newspaper in mid-July - smack dabble in the middle of contract negotiations.
"No one knows what it (the points system) means, but it doesn't seem it works with our collective agreement," the staffer tells TSF. "And what a time to start it - in the midst of negotiations."
So how does awarding points for reporters, photographers and columnists sit with the Southern Ontario Newsmedia Guild (SONG)?
We have e-mailed SONG president Brad Honywill for a comment.
The Sault Star employees' union is CWA, so we will also approach the CWA for comment.
Stay tuned.
A Sault Star staffer says Sun Media's performance points are coming to the unionized Sun Media newspaper in mid-July - smack dabble in the middle of contract negotiations.
"No one knows what it (the points system) means, but it doesn't seem it works with our collective agreement," the staffer tells TSF. "And what a time to start it - in the midst of negotiations."
So how does awarding points for reporters, photographers and columnists sit with the Southern Ontario Newsmedia Guild (SONG)?
We have e-mailed SONG president Brad Honywill for a comment.
The Sault Star employees' union is CWA, so we will also approach the CWA for comment.
Stay tuned.
FYI -- Sault Star is represented by CWA, not SONG.
ReplyDeleteThe company has argued (successfully, it appears) the point system does not violate any existing union contracts because it's simply, in their words, a performance indication mechanism. The only thing I can say the union has chimed in on so far in regards to the point system is ensuring employees are properly compensated for the time it takes to provide their daily "counts" to the appropriate manager. In almost every case, this means counts are provided to the manager in the course of the staffer's regular shift. The question was asked ... "How will this come back to bite me in the ass?" ... suggesting the counts will be used to identify so-called "low producers" in newsrooms and therefore used as a way of pushing people to do more work or even used as a reason for dismissal. The answer was ... "Nobody will be fired because their points are low but it could set the stage for a conversation about why their points are low and how that could be changed." I guess we'll have to see about that one. Anyone who's dealing with this might also want to ensure their work is being pro-rated.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a car dealership.
ReplyDeleteWe're laughing about these points because now our little daily can compare our production with the nearby bigger daily that gets by on one story per day per reporter. We have been keeping score for a long time and it's pathetic but nobody will listen.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations ... you're a convert to the 'quantity over quality' philosophy.
ReplyDelete6:47: Oh, believe me, we've studied the 'quality'
ReplyDeleteWe're laughing about these points because now our little daily can compare our production with the nearby bigger daily that gets by on one story per day per reporter. We have been keeping score for a long time and it's pathetic but nobody will listen.
ReplyDeleteSo, that's a problem with them, or that's a problem with your newsroom? Is your point that we should all be striving for excellence by writing four stories a shift? Your post is somewhat ambiguous.