The Morning Sentinel and the Waterville unit of the Portland Newspaper Guild today reached an agreement on a new wage-and-benefit deal that will run through January 2009.
The Waterville unit, Local 128, represents 21 newsroom employees. The deal was ratified by a 13-4 vote, with four Guild members not voting due to illness or lack of opportunity.
The deal gives union members a 2.5 percent raise effective May 4, plus a 2.5 percent raise on signing and a signing bonus of $300 to $1,600, based on a union member’s full- or part-time status.
The agreement also changes the union members’ sick leave, insurance and health care, bringing them in line with other company plans. The prior contract expired in January 2006.
A sticking point in negotiations involved the potential “outsourcing” of newsroom work. Under the terms of the new contract, current employees are protected from having their work outsourced but new hires will not have that protection.
The Blethen Maine Newspaper group, of which the Morning Sentinel is a part, has been offered for sale this year by The Seattle Times Co., the chain’s owner.