Wednesday, December 16, 2015

NewsGuild Reaches Groundbreaking New Contract Settlement with The Nation

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015
Contact: CJ Macklin, 646-335-0718, cj.macklin@berlinrosen.com

NewsGuild Reaches Groundbreaking New Contract Settlement with The Nation
New Six-Year Contract will include 4-Month Paid Parental Leave for Employees, Regardless of Gender, 25% raises over 6 years
NEW YORK – The NewsGuild of New York announced on Wednesday a groundbreaking new six-year contract with The Nation. The contract will provide employees four months of paid parental leave regardless of gender, a nearly unheard of benefit in the news industry.

“Kudos to The Nation for taking such a progressive stance and working with us to trail blaze a path for other media organizations to follow. Journalists are parents too, and it’s important that they have the opportunity to be with family during this joyous period, without worrying about repercussions from their employer,” said Peter Szekely, president of The NewsGuild of New York.
NewsGuild members at The Nation voted overwhelmingly to ratify the agreement earlier today. In addition to paid parental leave, the contract will provide a 25 percent pay increase over the life of the agreement.


NewsGuild members at The Nation voted overwhelmingly to ratify the agreement earlier today
 
Editors and other Guild members at The Nation magazine voted to ratify a new contract on Dec. 16 that includes a groundbreaking four months of parental leave and raises pay by 25 percent over six years. Guild Rep Bob Daraio, left foreground, tallies the vote.  - See more at: http://www.nyguild.org/the-nation-news-details/items/release-guild-nation-contract-extends-parental-leave-to-4-months.html#sthash.E0UXSElq.dpuf
The labor agreement includes The Nation’s digital editors and comes as The NewsGuild is in the midst of an aggressive organizing effort to unionize digital reporters. Earlier this year, digital reporters at Al Jazeera America and The Guardian US both joined The NewsGuild in order to secure a greater say in the newsroom.
 
“The negotiating committee is very proud to have achieved a contract that not only protects our wages and healthcare, but also takes a major step forward in providing fully paid parental leave. Parental leave is a critical benefit for both women and men at our growing company, and will be offered on a gender-neutral basis,” said Emily Douglas, Senior Editor at The Nation. “Even better, the leave can be taken all at once, or in stages, throughout the first year after birth or adoption of a child. We are delighted that management shared our concern for new parents at The Nation, and with the agreement we reached.”
 
About NewsGuild of New York
The NewsGuild of New York, Local 31003 of the Communications Workers of America, represents about 2,800 journalists and other employees, mostly at New York area-based news organizations, including The New York Times, Thomson Reuters, The Daily Beast and Al Jazeera America Digital. It was launched in 1934 by a group of journalists that included crusading columnist Heywood Broun.
 
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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Triangle Factory Fire Commemoration Wednesday March 25, 2015

Triangle Factory Fire Commemoration Wednesday March 25, 2015
On Wednesday, March 25 at 11:30AM we Commemorate the 104th Anniversary of the Triangle Factory Fire. In 1911, 146 workers, mostly young, immigrant women, lost their lives in a tragic and avoidable fire. Join us as we remember those who died and honor the legacy of reform that arose from this tragedy. http://rememberthetrianglefire.org/


Triangle Factory Fire Commemoration Wednesday March 25, 2015

Monday, February 23, 2015

Jersey Journal wins 16 awards in statewide journalism contest

The Jersey Journal
on February 16, 2015 at 12:17 PM, updated February 16, 2015 at 1:14 PM

The Jersey Journal has won 16 awards in the 2014 Better Newspapers Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Press Association.
Having competed against newspapers of similar size throughout the state, Journal staffers and contributors will pick up seven first-place awards, seven second-place awards and two third-place awards at the annual NJPA banquet in the spring.

"This is a proud moment for The Jersey Journal. Being recognized by our peers for quality journalism is truly satisfying," Editor Margaret Schmidt said.

"Many of the judges' comments went beyond affirming what we do,'' she added, pointing to comments such as "watchdog journalism at its best'' and "great insights." "They honored our journalists with high praise.''

The honors are:

WRITING AND DESIGN

First place, Responsible Journalism, Editorial Comment: Agustin Torres
First place, Reporting and Writing, Breaking News: Staff for reporting on the ambush murder of Jersey City Police Officer Melvin Santiago
First place, Design and Presentation, News Pages: Tanya Manthey
First place, Robert Kelly Award for new reporters: Jonathan Lin
First place, News writing portfolio: Terrence T. McDonald

Second place
, Public Service: Terrence T. McDonald, for a series of stories on the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority
Second place, Enterprise: Ken Thorbourne for a series of stories on Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City
Second place, Overall Coverage: Staff for newspapers from the week of Sept. 20
Second place, Sports Columns: Patrick Villanova

Third place, Feature or Entertainment Columns: The Rev. Alexander Santora for the weekly Faith Matters column

PHOTOGRAPHY

First place, Feature Photo: Matt Gade
First place, News Picture Story: Reena Rose Sibayan

Second place
, Sports Feature: Molly J. Smith

Second place, General News: Reena Rose Sibayan
Second place, Spot News: Lauren Casselberry

Third place, News Picture Story: Reena Rose Sibayan and Chase Gaewski

The submissions were put together and entered by City Editor Patrick Villanova and Photo Editor Reena Rose Sibayan.

The awards will be among those given at the NJPA Press Night banquet at the Manor in Hamilton on April 23.

NJ Advance Media and its affiliated companies will also be well-represented at the dinner having won a total of 87 awards.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Ralph Augenfeld, a longtime and pioneering engineer at WPIX-TV, Dead at 64

Ralph Augenfeld
Ralph Augenfeld


Ralph Augenfeld, a longtime and pioneering engineer at WPIX-TV, died unexpectedly on Monday. He was 64.
Augenfeld began his career at WPIX  in 1979 as a maintenance engineer.  Soon thereafter, he became WPIX’s first ever News Engineer in Charge (EIC) and in the late 1990s was promoted to Engineering Manager.

Paul Brenner with Ralph Augenfeld
Paul Brenner with Ralph Augenfeld
During his long career at the station,  Ralph was involved in many WPIX technical firsts, from the launch of the TV PIX video game contest in 1980 to the design and implementation of the very first COFDM Digital News Helicopter.

Many of his efforts continue to benefit WPIX-TV today, including the station’s Citigroup Building and North Shore microwave receives sites.

“Although Ralph left WPIX in 2005 to accept a Director of Engineering position at the UN, he always considered himself always and forever a “PIX Lifer”.  Ralph Augenfeld, of Brooklyn,  is survived by his daughter Britt and son Zach.




A service will be held for Ralph this Friday, Feb. 20 beginning at 2 pm at the following address: 135 Eastern Parkway, Apt. 3C Brooklyn, NY  11238.  Shiva will be held at the same location on Saturday, Feb. 21 & Sunday, Feb. 22 from 10 am to 6 pm on both days.