And one more BANG thing...

Now that we are all one big family, it's time to talk about sharing custody.
We want to find out if our colleagues in the new "Bay Area News Group" are interested in creating a bargaining unit to encompass the entire BANG-EB – including ANG as well as the CCT/Hills. We want to make sure the union we've had all these years continues and that all our colleagues have the choice to have a say in our workplace.
In my humble opinion, a progressive company wouldn't interfere in their employees decision about whether we want a voice on the job and a legal right to bargain with the company. No one asked me, or anyone else for that matter, if I wanted to get rid of the union. I like my union, which thankfully hasn't disappeared like an ostrich with its head in the sand.
We're still as plucky as ever and working to ensure management respects its employees' rights, helps make us better journalists and, basically, just talks to us straight. It doesn't have to be contentious and it doesn't have to be MediaNews vs. The Union. We can share the love, people.
Exhibit A: Just in the last two weeks, in both Denver and St.Paul, our union has negotiated multi-year agreements with MediaNews for the right to bargain and numerous other benefits, including securing health care and pension guarantees. (http://www.onebigbang.org for the details of the St. Paul and Denver deals)
Why can't we have protections like these in the East Bay?
At ANG we worked with a hostile MediaNews management pleading poverty for 20 years. Despite all kinds of obstacles, we made progress, including a fair grievance procedure, guaranteed pay increases plus a chance to earn merit raises and many benefits spelled out in the most recent labor agreement.
Anyway, see for yourself the details of the campaign, "One Big BANG: One Guild Universe": http://onebigbang.org or e-mail campaign@onebigbang.org.