Memorandum of Agreement

December 19, 2008 

This Memorandum of Agreement is between The Honolulu Advertiser, hereinafter “Employer,” and the Hawaii Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39117, hereinafter “Guild.” Both the Employer and the Guild understand that new technology has changed and continues to change the way we collect and present news, sports, features and opinion to subscribers and readers of The Honolulu Advertiser. Accordingly, Bargaining Unit employees in the Advertiser editorial department may be required as part of their assigned duties to perform a combination duty of “reporter-photographer.” Such employees may also be required to shoot video and write material for presentation on the internet or other electronic multimedia platforms. Such assignments may be made with the following understanding:

1.      The parties hereto agree to delete the fourth (4^th) paragraph of Section 2 (a) of the Agreement which begins, “No reporter or photographer shall work a combination duty of reporter-photographer…”

2.      The Employer will continue to furnish and insure all necessary equipment for employees of the Employer to perform their duties as assigned by the Employer.

3.      The Employer understands that until now, editorial department employees have been recruited and hired as writers and reporters, copy editors and photographers. Except under special circumstances, combination duties of reporter-photographer have not been allowed. Reporters, writers and copy editors have not been allowed to take photographs, and photographers have not been allowed to report and write stories.

4.      The Employer will, on a continuing basis, provide training to allow employees to become proficient and remain proficient with new technology used to provide content for the newspaper and all multimedia platforms used by the Employer, whether presently in use or yet to be developed. Such training will be on the Employer’s time and at the Employer’s expense. The training will include training in the performance of multimedia duties for which employees may lack experience, and for duties for which they may be assigned in the future. Such training will be ongoing as new processes and equipment are acquired by the Employer.

5.      No reporter performing such photographer duties will be disciplined for the quality of his/her performance of such photographer duties. Likewise, no photographer performing such reporter duties will be disciplined for the quality of his/her performance of such reporter duties. This sub-paragraph only applies to employees employed as of the date of this agreement and any future employees hired primarily as reporters or photographers.

6.      Performance evaluations of reporters and photographers employed as of the date of this agreement and any future employees hired primarily as either reporters or photographers will not include negative statements relating to performance of photographer duties (in the case of reporters assigned these new duties) and reporter duties (in the case of photographers assigned these new duties).

8.      The Guild and the Employer shall each appoint three employee representatives to a Reporter-Photographer Advisory Committee. The purpose of this committee shall be to address issues and concerns related to training, quality, and work assignments contemplated by this MOA. The committee shall make advisory, but non-binding recommendations to the Editor. Any disagreements arising among and between members of the committee or any rejection of the recommendations made by the committee shall not be subject to the grievance/arbitration procedures set forth in Section 24 of the Agreement.