Ronnie Pineda Hospitalized

Ronnie Pineda on the left with Jess De Geytere


Union President of GCC-IBT Local 140-N Ronnie Pineda suffered an apparent heart attack last night, and is resting in the hospital with his wife Diane at his side.

Unable to reach his family at this time for further details, but will let you know as soon as possible regarding Ronnie’s condition.



Send a prayer or two for Ronnie’s speedy recovery.

Should Employees trust in the Tribune Company?

From: Louis Nicosia
Secretary-Treasurer
GCC-IBT Local 406

To Our Brothers and Sisters at the L.A. Times,

People do not realize the importance of belonging to a union especially in today’s economic and social climate. Think about the early part of the 20th century before there were unions. People worked ten or twelve hour workdays, sweatshops, child labor, no health insurance, no pensions or workmen’s compensation. Unions fought hard for these things and more importantly a decent wage. In essence, unions created the middle class. We now take all these things for granted. What came from that was companies were almost forced to give the same benefits to non-union people and/or to keep people from joining the unions. Somewhere along the line people forgot how they got these benefits and believe that companies don’t mind paying these benefits. That’s kind of naïve, don’t you think?

We are all aware of the nature of our business. Like many locals across the country, we went through a negotiation that was concessionary. They came to the negotiating table seeking 10% and 15% pay cuts, changes in our seniority, weeks of vacation time, increases in health insurance, and other items that had to do with working conditions. We stood together. We also used Teamster resources that included George Tedeschi and economist Jim Kimball. The Company did not get what they wanted. We know without a collective bargaining agreement in place they could have just implemented their proposals. We did lose 5% of our pay and our drivers lost 10%. Although everyone here was unhappy, I can tell you not one person that I know would put their trust in the Company rather than the union. The company I work for is Cablevision and they make hundreds of millions of dollars a year in profit, and they still wanted more. To put trust in the Tribune Company while they are in bankruptcy would be insane. They will gut you within months, and find another way to dole out those bonuses to the people in their club. I remember better days. Times Mirror was my best employer too, but those days are never coming back.

I urge you as one working man to another stay together and weather the bad times. You have a voice in your workplace that will be gone. To break and run now because change isn’t happening fast enough would be a mistake. I think of the old story; one stick in your hand could be broken easily but a dozen can’t. There really is strength in unity.

Yours in Solidarity,
Lou Nicosia

Do not Feed the Kittens, Dogs, or Pigeons

Just when I thought we reached the bottom at the Los Angeles Times Olympic Production Facility, our Tribune Boss’ dig a little deeper and drop moral down a bit further. Last Friday our humanitarians at the plant, Rosanna Noon and Craig Jeskey were informed that they would no longer be allowed to feed the cats that call our parking lot their home.

Management claims the cat food attracts pigeons, which have invaded the interior of the plant. Traps were set out several months ago with over thirty birds captured and set free fifty miles from the plant. Unfortunately they seem to be homing pigeons as they have returned in mass.

The photograph was borrowed from the Newspaper Kittens page on Facebook, this is a group of Times employees that care for and adopt stray cats from around Times Mirror Square. When I mentioned what’s happening at the Olympic Facility they questioned if this really could be true? Yes it's the truth!

So remember not to feed the animals that inhabit the interior or exterior of the Olympic Facility, naturally with the threat of termination hanging over your head if you do insist on helping the hungry animals.

Los Angeles Times Pressmen Lunch

After working together for three to four decades producing the Los Angeles Times it’s rather difficult not to form life long bonds with your colleagues. Three days ago the pressmen gathered at Carroll’s Restaurant to reminisce about the good old days at the newspaper.

Services for Gary Cook

Gary Cook OC Platemaking retiree

Lutheran Church of the Cross
24231 El Toro road
Laguna Woods, Ca 92637
Saturday Aprill 30 at 11am

Information and photo provided by Chris Sileski

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Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

The annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be held:
Saturday April 30, 2011 from 10am – 6pm
Sunday, May 1, 2011 from 10am – 5pm at:
University of Southern California
Click here for map.
To locate USC on Yahoo! Maps or similar mapping software, you may use the intersection of Exposition Blvd and S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90089.

R.I.P. Gary Cook

Former Los Angeles Times Plate maker Gary Cook has passed away.

Mr. Cook’s funeral services will be held this Saturday in Lake Forest, California.

If you have any further information please forward.

Good Lesson For ALL

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... pick them up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them..

3 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker..

4 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague

5 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

6 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

7 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

8 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

9 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

10 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.



.

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

Pressman Steve Parker examining the hollywood money

being printed at the Times Olympic Facility

Photo credit: Cesar Calderon

• At Tribune, Battle Expands - Wall Street Journal


• Newspaper circulation to be published Tuesday - Poynter


• The Incredible Shrinking New York Times - Business Insider


• Is Digital Media Worse for the Environment Than Print? - PBS


• McClatchy Reports First Quarter 2011 Loss - Yahoo Finance


• Baltimore Sun named newspaper of the year - Baltimore Sun


• Class certification granted in tribune company ESOP case - Lexology


• Facebook adds another nail to the Newspaper Coffin - ReadWriteWeb


• Sun-Star to move printing operations to Fresno Bee - Merced Sun-Star


• Journalists and Social Media: How Far is Too Far? - Newspaper Death Watch

Crime Increasing at the Los Angeles Times

I took it for granted the thieves that had been breaking into our lockers no longer worked at the Los Angeles Times Olympic Facility, wrong. Last Saturday between 7:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. someone broke into pressroom supervisor John Hunter’s locker, located on the first floor, removing his work hats.

Pressroom personnel are not permitted to return to their lockers until the end of their shifts, something the thief knows also, or take the chance of being suspended or as one unfortunate discovered, terminated.


This latest crime pales in comparison to what occurred at the end of last year at the Olympic Facility. Seems two of our outside contractors, hired as custodians, helped themselves to all the metal they could fit in their cars, for many months.

What they would do was slip the metal pipes into a cardboard looking eight foot long tube, which was placed into a mop pail and pushed to the third floor where the metal was cut into pieces that would fit into their cars for recycling.

No one seems to know the exact loss in dollars, but I’m told the scam ran for months if not over a year.

My suggestion to my colleagues working at the Olympic Facility, leave everything of value at home and keep your wallets in your pocket.

Tim Hetherington At Waffle House: A Fond Remembrance

"Our deluxe Hollywood dinner took place at Waffle House somewhere near the Nashville..."
Read the rest at The Kitchen Dispatch

Burn Victims Need Your Help!

If you or someone you know knows anyone in the Lakers organization front office, please forward this story to them. On April 4, 2011, a family in Ontario lost their home. Mother, father, and ten children were in the home when it went up in flames. Neighbors, and officers worked together to get the trapped family members out of the home. They were jumping out of windows and were being caught by neighbors and officers down below. The fire department quickly got on the roof while the fire was still blazing and put it out.

They didn't have much prior to the fire and now have really lost everythingl. As of today, 4/7, everyone in the family is still in the hospital recovering from different levels of exposure to the fire, except one small child that was released yesterday. They are all separated and scattered throughout four different local hospitals. The children range in age from 2-16. A ten year old boy was airlifted after receiving 30-40% burns to his entire body.

In speaking with the family I learned the older boys love the Lakers and I think it would be nice to get the entire family to a Laker game. The Ontario Police Officer's Association and the Ontario Fire Department are organizing a fund raiser for the family on April 23rd, 2011 at noon in front of the families burnt home, 1476 E. Fairfield Dr., Ontario, at noon. The street will be blocked off and neighbors, family members, and the entire community is welcome.

We will be BBQing hot dogs and hamburgers and it will be on a donation basis. Area schools and churches are already fund raising. Bon View Elementary school has started a fund raiser where the classroom who raises the most money will get a pizza party courtesy of the Ontario Police Officer's Association. I want to thank Farmer Boys for donating the food, as well as Best Buy for donating a gaming system to the boys, Wells Fargo for a money donation,and the Ontario Police Officer's Association for their time and money contribution(s).

If you cannot make it out to the BBQ, you can still donate to the family. We are asking for money and gift cards at this time. The church has already provided them with clothes and toiletries. They don't have anywhere to store anymore clothing. Checks are the best option, but gift cards for gas, and food are welcome. Since the home burned down, we are not sure where they will be moving to, so we are not sure what grocery store they will be going to for food. Checks and or money orders made out to the father would be best.

The checks can be sent to:
Ontario Police Officer's Association Attn: Payan Family
2558 S. Archibald Avenue,
Ontario Ca, 91764


Checks can be made out to Leobardo Payan (Father)

Please forward this to as many people as you can. This is truly wonderful family who is in a desperate situation. The bottom of Mr. Payan's feet were completely burned as he tried running upstairs with the garden hose to put out the flames thinking his 4 year old daughter was trapped inside. It is unknown at this time how long the recovery will be for him to start working again.

If you have any questions or want to know how you can help further please contact Officer Gabe Gutierrez.



ggutierrez@ontariopolice.org 909-395-2001 XT:4632



See the link below for the news coverage of the incident.



http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-ontario-house-fire,0,5569716.story

Tim Hetherington, Killed. The Promise From A Friend Still Stands

A personal remembrance.
This is hard. This morning, three phone calls came in at once. My friend Tim Hetherington has died, while covering the war in Libya.
Read the rest at The Kitchen Dispatch

Women & War Conference: A Thought. How To Use Outrage & Anger

So, as with all things, there was a lot of awareness raised about issues that impact on women in the military as well as female veterans. I've done a video log for Sunday morning. Come here my final thoughts. at The Kitchen Dispatch

Saturday Afternoon in the Blogosphere

Thirty-eight year Los Angeles Times Pressman Martin Conboy

• Our man in Bangkok - Gary Scott


• Good looks at the L.A. Times - Kevin Roderick


• April 17th General Meeting Notice - Ronnie Pineda


• Who Will Be The OC Register‘s New Daddy? - Fishbowl LA


• Huffington’s Serfs Storm the Gates - Newspaper Death Watch


• Jeff Cole predicts the death of newspapers in 5 years - Media Beat


• LA Times Calendar Section Loses Another Body - Pandora Young


• At Gannett, Furloughs but Nice Paydays for Brass - New York Times


• Tribune Troubles: Lenders Fiddle As WPIX-TV Stumbles - B. Union News

Union Negotiations with the Tribune Company

The Union and the Co. met on April 6 & 7 to begin negotiations on our new contract. We covered a variety of topics which were addressed by our Contract Review Committee and have exchanged several proposals based on the committees findings.

We did reach tentative agreements in areas of the grievance and arbitration language that would speed up the process of selecting an Arbitrator and having our grievances heard and resolved. We also cleaned and agreed to remove any language that was unnecessary.

A memo was posted detailing an agreement to re-pick vacations which in turn, resolved two grievances regarding vacation picking. Any one that would suffer a financial loss as a result of re-picking must notify the union with proof of loss such as airline or hotel reservations and those vacation times will be granted. This will be a one time situation as schedules should now be picked prior to vacations going forward. Receipts or non-refundable deposits must be dated prior to April 7, 2011

Some Members have asked to attend the negotiations and are welcome to observe by the union on a limited basis due to seating by first notifying Executive Vice President Denson or myself.

Negotiations resume on May 3&4.

In Solidarity!
President Pineda

Save Our Trade

Caught in the act at the Los Angeles Times

Did you know that a thief entered the property last Thursday morning sometime after midnight and broke into a vehicle? I didn’t think you were informed regarding this incident after mentioning this to several of my colleagues.

Pressman Bill Jahr had his new car broken into last week, and somehow the person breaking into his passenger side door of his new car bypassed the alarm system.

Bill has since had the alarm system for his vehicle repaired.

The thief was caught in the act by our security force at the Los Angeles Times Olympic Facility, which led to a foot chase where the burglar escaped into the night. How he entered the property or where is unknown at this time, so be certain and not leave anything of great value in your vehicles passenger compartment.

Hat tip to our security force at Olympic.

The Fighting Season: Bad Guys and Donkeys

I had a talk with The Hubs today. It lasted for 3 minutes before the connection cut out. It was talk about bad guys & donkeys. Read it here at The Kitchen Dispatch.
On Saturday, I will be a guest panelist at the Women & War Conference sponsored by The Soldier's Project at USC.

In Combat And No Paycheck

Hubs with another doc in a Vonnegut world.
Deployed overseas. Check.
Sent to a place where there are bad guys and innocents. Check, check.
Puts mission first. Check.
Read the rest at: The Kitchen Dispatch: In Combat And No Paycheck


And from Facebook, more photos. Ensuring Pay For Our Military 2011

Update: Marine Federal Credit Union to Advance the entire April 15 paycheck.

Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere

(from left) Linard Williams, Greg Usery, and Russ Harbour

Taken around 1994?

• US newspaper ads hit 25-year low - Guardian


• The Top 25 Newspapers on Twitter - The Wrap


• Comcast Execs Strike Pay Dirt - Multichannel News


• Projo union’s president blasts bonuses at A.H. Belo - WPRI


• Los Angeles Times Festival of Books - Los Angeles Times


• Dodgers hire Bratton as security consultant - Kevin roderick


• Tired of bad press, city of Vernon buys the good kind - Gary Scott


• PressDisplay.com to Power Interactive On-Air Newspaper - SF Gate


• The War On The Middle Class In One Chart - Broadcast Union News


• Reuters Sued: S.F. Bloggers Demand Overtime, Meal Pay - SF Weekly

Warning Warning Will Robinson

Dear Press Room Colleagues, Our Tribune Boss’ at the Los Angeles Times Olympic Facility has deemed this blog “hazardous” for your moral. Readers beware and enter at your own risk.

On Hiatus: Stepping Out Of The Online Jail

This blog will be on hiatus for at least the next two weeks. If you want coverage of the war, I recommend Charlie Sherpa's Red Bull Rising.

The Kitchen Dispatch