HOW THE BAKERSFIELD NEWSPAPER GUILD GOT STARTED

by Vi Hollins

Photo by Floyd Tucker Members of The Bakersfield Newspaper Guild rally in front of The Bakersfield Californian on June 27, 1987. BNG president Cindy Cheski is seen on the steps with a bullhorn.

One person, not a Californian employee, speaking of union dues, called the money "tribute." Later, for whatever reason, he had need of union representation and became a willing and enthusiastic dues-payer.

At the Californian, 1944-46, several people from the newsroom occasionally would meet for a beer after work and recall the events of the day. Occasionally one would say, "We oughta have a union." Here are a few of the incidents that propelled a majority to that conclusion:

We used to work a six-day week, with a Saturday afternoon off every other week. One week a city editor arbitrarily, without advance notice, at 10 a.m. on a Saturday, canceled the afternoon off for three employees even though they had planned a beach trip for that weekend.

One employee, who took a Saturday off to go see her husband when he returned from overseas after the war, was summarily and without reason or advance notice fired on the day he was discharged from the service.

New employees were started at the minimum wage and many stayed there. Those who thought they should be paid more had to ask for a raise. Raises did not usually come more frequently than once a year and they totaled $2.50. One city editor, whose wages were frozen at $60 a week, got permission from the War Labor Board for a raise of $25 a week, but what did he get? He got $2.50 a week. If anyone made a case for a larger than $2.50 raise he had to talk to Walter Kane (former publisher) and take a great deal of personal abuse.

A crowd of 130-150 picketers rally in front of The Bakersfield Californian on June 27, 1987. Most were out-of-towners bused in from the San Diego convention.

Hours were usually good for desk person, but reporters had to work nights with no extra compensation, although one city editor would give a couple of hours off to a reporter who had four night meetings in one week. Reporters had to furnish their own cars or bus transportation and weren't paid mileage. No notice had to be given of night assignments; I remember at least one case when a night job was assigned at 4 p.m. for an event that night that had been scheduled for a year. Girls who wished to have private lives were known to take their dates along on assignment.

It's unpleasant to have to bargain for oneself, but if you have a mind to do so, the Guild contract doesn't forbid it. But at any rate, you'll be paid the contract minimum.

International vice president Dick Peery of Cleveland marches in the June 27, 1987 rally.

Without the Guild contract, there's no limit to the amount of personal abuse an individual might have to take. With a Guild contract, he doesn't have to put up with it alone.

For many years, there was discrimination against women in hiring. Before the Guild, there was discrimination against women in pay.

Some of our people had their pay more than double - from $30 to $68 — in our first contract, and they have received regular raises since.

Without a Guild we could look forward to long hours, low pay, loss of some jobs, and no protection for the individual from a possibly vindictive management.

I was six years in the newspaper business full time before I could consider buying a car. The Guild has transformed us from itinerants into homeowners.