Reporters and photographers belonging to the Portland Newspaper Guild chapter at the Central Maine Morning Sentinel, a Waterville-based sister paper of the Portland Press Herald, are not allowing the newspaper to print their names above articles or in photo captions, hoping to draw attention to the fact that they have not agreed on a contract since the expiration of the previous one in January 2006, and have not received raises since January 2005. The so-called byline strike comes at a time the papers’ parent, the Seattle Times Company, is in poor financial straits, according to its own account.

The job action began December 26, according to union head CJ Betit, and is based on a line in the previous Morning Sentinel contract that allows union members to withhold their bylines and photo credits for any reason. But the paper’s executive editor, Eric Conrad (who used to be a managing editor at the Press Herald), wrote in a December 27 memo to employees that the company disagrees with the union’s interpretation, and believes the contract language it is applicable only “in rare instances of profound journalistic difference — if a story is significantly altered and a reporter disagrees with the final version, for example.” (The full text of Conrad’s memo appears below.)

Darla Pickett, union chairman in Waterville, said Monday that there had been no new developments — except that her own byline has also been withdrawn. (A broken fax machine failed to transmit her request to withhold it, resulting in her name running in the December 28 issue. Her subsequent pleas to extend the deadline for submitting the request fell on deaf ears).

In addition to the contract and pay disputes, the union is objecting to Blethen Maine Newspapers’ unwillingness to limit mandatory staff transfers to the Augusta-based Kennebec Journal, also a sister paper, and its refusal to limit outsourcing of work to non-union workers.

Pickett says the union members are dedicated workers who want to be able to negotiate. “We got one guy that came in on his Christmas holiday and submitted a picture and a story,” she says, “On his holiday!” But that level of commitment has, union leaders say, gone unrecognized.

“The company has been unwilling even to agree to the protections that Portland got,” Betit says, referring to a month-old contract with employees at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, which guarantees workers a two-percent raise each year through 2010 and lower health-insurance premiums for a plan almost identical to the one in the last contract. The previous Press Herald contract expired at the end of May.

That same Portland contract does allow 15 percent of Press Herald workers to be non-union, a union concession to the company’s “flexibility” demands, but guarantees that workers employed at the time the contract was signed can’t be laid off as a result of non-union hires doing their work. It also allows existing employees to keep their guaranteed-benefit pension plans, but gives new hires a 401(k) plan, which includes a company match for a portion of contributions.

Conrad didn’t return multiple phone calls seeking comment, which is in keeping with the Blethen Maine Newspapers’ standard practice of not speaking to other media organizations.

Conrad’s December 27 memo asserts that he (or other unnamed company officials) may not allow staffers to withhold their bylines and photo credits, a response that would likely draw a formal objection from the union. If Conrad does allow staffers to withhold their names from print, Conrad writes, management will decide when the to resume publishing bylines and credits — a stipulation some interpret as a potential way for the company to punish protestors by depriving them of published credit even after the dispute is resolved.

This development in Maine comes as the Seattle Times Company, which owns the Blethen Maine papers, announced to staffers December 27 that 2008 would bring “the most difficult and painful downsizing” in company history, according to the Seattle Times. No details were forthcoming, but $6 million in spending will have to be eliminated, on top of $21 million already removed, the Times said, citing an internal memo from publisher and family patriarch Frank Blethen, who refused to comment further, even to his own paper.

The full text of Conrad’s internal memo is below:

Eric Conrad/Augusta/CMN

To msedit@CMN, News Staff-MS

12/27/07 01:52 PM

cc News Staff-KJ, Editorial, Editors, Directors, Eric Conrad/Augusta/CMN@CMN, mkelly@pressherald.com

Subject A process for withholding byline and credit lines

Morning Sentinel staffers: By now, we are all aware of the action taken by Guild members at the Morning Sentinel regarding bylines and photo credits. Most of these were withheld in Thursday’s newspapers. It appears some were withheld Wednesday as well.

First, we want to be clear that the company does not recognize the union’s right, or any employee’s right, to do this as part of any concerted effort, which is what appears to be happening in this case. The expired contract does say, “A byline or credit line may not be used over the protest of an employee.” But the company interprets that as being in the contract so the employee can cite it in rare instances of profound journalistic difference — if a story is significantly altered and a reporter disagrees with the final version, for example.

But now that it has happened we will set up a process that must be followed for individual Guild members to take a more formal step along these lines. Here it is:

 — All reporters and photographers who want their bylines and/or credit lines withheld must request that in writing, and they must legibly sign their requests. This must be done individually. We will not accept a group letter and a bunch of signatures on it. You can fax these requests to me at: 621-5744. If we do not get these requests well before your next photo or story is scheduled to appear, your work will appear with a byline or credit line. If I do get a request like this from you, signed and in writing (emails are not sufficient), we will judge them on a case by case basis. If we approve your request, we will notify you.

 — We will continue to place “shirttails” at the ends of all articles. This shirttail information includes the reporter’s name, telephone number and e-mail address. The contract does not mention shirttails so they will be included on every story from a Sentinel staffer.

 — All Morning Sentinel stories written by reporters who have formally asked that their bylines be withheld (and had those requests granted) will say, “By Morning Sentinel staff.” They will not say, “Staff report,” as they did today.

 — For Morning Sentinel staffers who write columns, the company may reserve the right to run these with staffers’ photos and names. The whole point of a column is that it often is a signed opinion.

 — Finally, in the case of reporters and photographers who request that their names are withheld and hear that the request is granted, the company will determine when is the appropriate time for that employee’s byline or credit line to return to our newspapers. This is not up to the employee; this is up to the publisher.

Eric Conrad

Executive Editor

Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

Telephone: 207-621-5630

Justin Alfond, longtime director of the Maine League of Young Voters, is leaving that position. The official job posting for a new state director is up on Craigslist; the organization will accept applications through mid-January, and expects to have the position filled by early spring.

B                        I                    N                              G                                          O

"blustery"               "ice-covered"        "nor'easter"                   "going" (when referring to traffic speed)  "overdo it" (as in shoveling)

"slippery"               "wintry mix"         view from a Turnpike overpass  a runway at the Jetport                    Doppler radar projection

"bundle up"              "Santa"              "polar bears"                  sweater with snowflake design              a view obstructed by snow

a CMP lineworker         a plow driver        a citizen shoveling            a citizen scraping off a car               children sledding

"be careful out there"   "ice storm of 1998"  reporter throws a snowball     reporter catches snowflakes in glove       reporter not wearing proper storm clothing        

Immigration is quickly becoming/has already become the issue of the 2008 elections -- and there's no exception in Maine.

On Wednesday, Republican congressional candidate Dean Scontras sent a letter to his fellow candidates, asking them to join him in calling for Governor Baldacci to rescind the April 2004 executive order that bars state employees from inquiring about people's immigration status.

Here's an excerpt:

"As I travel the campaign trail, illegal immigration is the issue at the forefront of most voters' minds. Mainers feel that the federal government has let them down on this issue by failing to secure our borders and pass comprehensive immigration reform during the last legislative session.

Even more discouraging is the fact that Governor Baldacci is exacerbating the problem by creating a sanctuary state for illegal aliens, allowing them to access social services at the expense of Maine's taxpayers.

As candidates for Maine's 1st Congressional District seat, we have an obligation to Maine's citizens to provide leadership on this critical issue. This is an issue that cuts across party lines and allows for consensus-based solutions.

I am asking you to join my call to Governor Baldacci to rescind his Executive Order. I think we can agree that Maine's status as a sanctuary state is a threat to our national security and an additional undue burden on Maine's taxpayers."

Today, Democratic candidate Ethan Strimling struck back, with a letter sent via local PR guy Dennis Bailey. It's not yet posted on Strimling's campaign website, so we'll publish it in its entirety here, with a noteable excerpt in bold.

Dear Dean Scontras,

We are a nation of immigrants. Your ancestors, like mine, were immigrants.
I am proud to live in a nation that still shines as a beacon of hope and
opportunity for millions of people worldwide. People are literally dying
to come here, and our powerful tradition of immigration is not something
to scorn or fear, but to honor and celebrate.

The Republican Party’s frenzy over immigration seeks to divide our nation,
not bring it together. Instead of engaging in demagoguery for short-term
political gain, you should look at the facts:

* According to the latest census, illegal immigrants make up less than
0.002% of Maine’s population. Most of them work hard, are law abiding,
raise families and pay taxes.

* The Legislature’s Task Force on Homeland Security, of which I was the
co-chair, held over a dozen hearings across the state over the last two
years. Not once did any official or individual come before us to complain
that federal or state immigration laws pose a threat to our security.

* Maine’s economy is highly reliant on migrant and immigrant labor –
Canadian woods workers, Hispanic blueberry rakers, Asian workers at fish
processing plants, etc.

* Many seasonal businesses complain that the federal quota for immigrant
and migrant workers (H1-B visas) needs to increase because they can’t find
enough workers to fill available jobs.

That said, there is much we can do to reform our current immigration laws
and protect our borders. We can crack down on employers who knowingly hire
and exploit undocumented immigrants. We can establish a more reasonable
path toward legal citizenship for the many illegal immigrants who are here
so they learn English, stop living in fear of being deported and get on
the path to becoming US citizens.

But all of these reforms must be aimed at inclusion, rather than
exclusion. They must be aimed at giving people an opportunity to share in
the American Dream. They must be aimed at tearing down walls and barriers
to citizenship, while keeping our nation secure from real threats. They
must reinforce our tradition of hard work and sacrifice as the way to
secure a better future for our family and ourselves.

So here’s my call for leadership: take a more responsible and rational
position on immigration than the one being dictated by your Washington, DC
consultants. Fire your pollster. Stop watching Fox News and Bill O’Reilly
and instead follow what a member of your own party, Abraham Lincoln,
called “the better angels of our nature.” Work toward bringing our nation
and our state together, in all its diversity, instead of driving us apart.
And if your real aim is to decrease Maine’s reliance on immigrant and
migrant workers, here’s something else you can do: support my bill to
increase Maine’s minimum wage, which will give Maine’s working poor a
better shot at earning a livable wage.

If you reject the knee-jerk, divisive politics that are dragging this
nation and your party down, believe me, your supporters will follow.
Because they, like all of us, want to live in a state of hope, not fear.

Sincerely,

Ethan Strimling

PS: If you’d like to meet some immigrants who are working hard to support
their families, come on over any time to Portland West.

Hey, not everything that happens About Town is interesting, as this video sparsely demonstrates.

Here's a photo from Monday's three-person demonstration in Bangor, sent to the Phoenix by Emily Posner (forefront).

Given the interest sparked by this post a few weeks ago, I thought some readers might want to know about tomorrow evening's public forum on universal, single-payer healthcare, sponsored by Portland Organizing to Win Economic Rights (POWER). The event is taking place tomorrow (Tuesday), from 6:30-8 p.m., at the Community Television Network facility at 516 Congress St.

According to a press release, panelists are expected to address: "what it means, why we need it (and why we don't have it already!), how it works, how much it costs (and how much it currently costs us NOT to have it!), how it works in other countries (and why nearly all other industrialized countries on the planet have it!), & how we can make it happen here."

In Bangor this morning, three former New Orleans relief workers locked themselves together this morning, and refused to leave the Margaret Chase Smith federal building, to protest the proposed destruction of 4,500 public housing units in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The local event is one of many scheduled for today -- International Human Rights Day. Here's an op-ed from the UMaine Orono student newspaper that echoes the sentiment.

Calls to one of the demonstrator's cell phones were forwarded straight to voice mail, so we don't yet know how the protest was received.

YouTube user rchaisson has posted several videos of Amanda Palmer's performance at SPACE a couple weeks ago (which our own Chris Gray attended, and loved). Here's a good one:

Something to keep in mind as you plan the upcoming weekends, from the Natural Resources Council of Maine website:

Plum Creek Public Hearing Dates

The final two public hearings will be held from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM on each of the following dates:

Saturday, December 15th - Portland, at the Holiday Inn by the Bay

Sunday, December 16th - Greenville, at Greenville High School

Members of the public will not be allowed to speak during more than one public session. It is anticipated that these sessions will be heavily attended, and speakers will likely be limited to three minutes each.

** Important note: Members of the public who wish to speak during a public session may begin arriving between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM to sign up. Speakers will be called in the order their name appears on the sign up sheets.

Must be a beer kind of day (see previous post). Could it be something in the air? Or just in the office?

In any case, state liquor officials have changed the rules governing beer labels, so Christmas-beer import specialists Shelton Brothers (of Belchertown, Massachusetts) have had no problems with getting approval to sell their beers in Maine. Which isn't how things were going this time last year.

You may remember the "Santa's Butt" controversy (see "State: One Santa Okay, Another No Way," by Jeff Inglis, December 8, 2006), which resulted in Shelton Brothers suing the state in federal court, on the basis of the First Amendment, to overturn the rules under which state police officials passed judgement on labels for beer bottles.

This year, Maine, like most other states, just requires federal approval for beer labels, which amounts to truth-in-advertising approval, like making sure a 12-ounce bottle doesn't say it contains 40 ounces, and that a beer's alcohol-content percentage is properly reported. All Maine added was "kind of a moral opinion on whether the label would corrupt youth," says Daniel Shelton, the importer's co-owner.

He's hoping you remember the controversy — really hoping. Shelton Brothers "ordered a lot, more than we should have, maybe" of Santa's Butt beer this season, hoping people would remember and buy a lot of it now that it's legal. (Maine regulators did reverse their ban last year, but only barely in time for Christmas. And the guy who defended the ban, Patrick Fleming, was promoted in April to be chief of the Maine State Police, so we can see that his career suffered no ill effects from getting the state sued on free-speech grounds.)

This year's other specials being imported by Shelton Brothers include "Reindeer's Revolt" and "Insanely Bad Elf."

Both of those ran afoul not of state regulators, but of the feds, who apparently ruled that "you couldn't talk about other intoxicating substances on a beer label," including tobacco and other forms of alcohol, Shelton says. Also, "we were not allowed to show the physical effects that drinking the product might have" - a rule that (if it weren't exclusive to booze) would prevent, say, photos of shiny hair from being affixed to shampoo bottles.

Shelton plans to "find out where the line is" over the course of the next few years, though, and we'll keep you posted on what he's up to.

With all the festivities happening this time of year (Happy Hanukkah!), let us not forget that December 5 is an important day in American history. We encourage local bars to somehow commemorate the holiday.

We heard a report this morning that Granny's Burritos, a favorite Portland eatery at 420 Fore Street, was closed for good. After no response at the Granny's phone number, we trotted down to find the door locked and this sign out front:

"Sorry, the pros no longer outweigh the cons... like the Phoenix that rises from the ashes...Twelve and a 1/2 of the best years of my life. Thanx Portland, Chris"

We tried reaching Chris Godin but haven't had any luck -- Chris, if you're out there, let us know what went wrong!

MEDIA ADVISORY

**EVENT POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER**

New Report: Extreme Downpours on the Rise in Maine

It goes on from there, but I'll spare you.

A Freeport woman is in the running for a $100,000 charitable contribution from Volvo for her work promoting climate-friendly initiatives in towns around Maine. Joan Saxe, a Sierra Club volunteer, works with cities and towns to help them reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions, and cut energy use and costs. More than 10 municipalities -- including Portland and South Portland -- are listed as Maine's 'Cool Communities'. If Saxe wins the top prize (which she can do by garnering the most votes at www.volvoforlifeawards.com), she stands to receive $100,000 for charity, plus a new Volvo car every three years for life. Woah.