This article about the arbitration case involving my donation in 2004 to the Democratic party in Michigan appeared in the newsletter of Newspaper Guild Detroit Local 22:
Ethics Policy-Free Lance Work Focus of Free Press Arbitrations
Arbitrator Paul Glendon heard oral arguments Jan. 18th regarding the Guild grievance concerning the discipline issued to Free Press Reporter Joel Thurtell for his 2004 political campaign contribution.
The Company issued a written reprimand to Thurtell last summer shortly after a media report said Thurtell was among a number of journalists nationally, who made political donations to various candidates or organizations.
Thurtell was threatened with further discipline, including discharge, if he ever made another political donation even though he was a Community Free Press reporter and didn’t cover politics.
The Guild grievance says the Company violated the union contract by improperly limiting Thurtell’s outside activities. Further, a Company revision of its ethics policy violates the rights of all employees covered by the Guild contract to engage in outside activities on their own time.
Meanwhile, an arbitration is pending concerning the Company’s decision to prohibit editorial department employees from doing free-lance work for the monthly publication Hour Magazine.
The Company reversed an earlier policy of allowing free-lance work submitted by staff to Hour Magazine because editors believe the glossy local publication is a “competitor†of the Free Press.
“It is absurd that the Free Press views a monthly magazine a competitor while at the same time allowing staff to appear or participate in local TV or radio programs, which compete daily with the paper for stories and advertising,†said Guild President Lou Mleczko
