Copy and Paste into email, please

Dear Freeman employee and Union colleagueYou, and your opinions, are central to the upcoming negotiations between our Newspaper Guild local and the people who represent the Journal Register Company, the corporation that controls our future, as far as we allow them, here at the newspaper.

Please let us know your goals. You can choose to remain completely anonymous, simply name your department, or fully identify yourself - something that would be most helpful. An electronic version of this survey can be copied from our website at www.kingstonnewspaperguild.org, and answered via email.

Department

Name

Email

Obviously, money is one of the main reasons any of us work in the first place. In your opinion, are you paid what you (and your position) merit?

If not, what would be a reasonable wage, considering the economy. Help us here:What are other workers paid for similar work elsewhere?

Money is important, but what non-economic issues in your job could be improved? (might this problem be resolved with contract language that could make a difference?)

What are your concerns about health care insurance?

Have you had trouble getting reimbursed for expenses?

Integrity is important to the Newspaper Guild, and we have protections built into the contract to protect workers with honor. Have you been asked to do things that are unethical or seen managers promote unethical behavior?

How could this have been avoided?

Have you been encouraged to participate in activities that are counter to good journalism or good business ethics?

Please tell us some specifics and how the problem could have been avoided.

How could the quality of the Daily Freeman be improved?

We are considering a range of activities to persuade The Journal Register Company that it is their best interest to treat us with respect. Could you suggest any ideas from you or your extended family?

What special skills can you bring to the table?Do you have connections in radio? sign making? Sky-writing?

Would you and/or your friends and family join in: letter-writing campaigns?
Fund-raising events to help colleagues who aren’t allowed to participate in our employer’s health insurance programs pay for doctor's visits. (This is a serious issue and we need to find ways to highlight the problem.)

Bus trips to Journal Register Headquarters in New Jersey for the chain's annual Christmas party?

Events sponsored by the unions at other Journal Register papers?

Trips to New York Yankees night games, appearances on David Letterman, swim-athons/bike-athons/walks for justice/meetings with legislators on issues such as mental health parity and HMO reform?

OTHER: please use this space to continue any answers you did not have space for, or to bring up others

Please return this survey to Jonathan Ment, Ivan Lajara, Bonnie Langston, David Umlaff or Blaise Schweitzer by Aug. 5 when we will hold a meeting for members.