Journal Sentinel wants 2-year pact

Journal Sentinel Inc. negotiators proposed this week that the Milwaukee Newspaper Guild’s next contract last just two years, through Dec. 31, 2010.

Guild bargainers had previously proposed a four-year contract. It’s the first time in memory that the company is seeking a shorter contract than the union. The management team said their proposal reflects the difficulty of long-term financial forecasting for our company and others in the newspaper business.

The company’s proposal on the term of the contract came as bargaining resumed after a hiatus of more than five months. Management negotiators halted the talks last November, as the company’s fiscal outlook started to deteriorate. Our contract was set to expire Dec. 31, but it has a clause that provides an automatic extension while negotiations continue.

During the break in regular talks, the two sides agreed on a deal to avoid layoffs by cutting wages 6.6%, effective this coming Sunday, in exchange for a no-layoff guarantee through Sept. 30 and 10 personal days during 2009. Guild and management representatives signed that agreement Wednesday.

Also during talks Wednesday and Thursday, we discussed provisions dealing with union jurisdiction and columnists, after an overview of tentative agreements that had been previously reached and Guild positions on issues not yet resolved. A subcommittee will resume discussion of drug and alcohol testing provisions during May. Future bargaining sessions are set for June 2-3, June 29-30 and July 8-9.