By Darryl Sclater

Local 37082 vice-president

In addition to the discussion and voting conducted on the main floor of the convention, CWA's big annual meet-up in Toronto included useful workshops dedicated to nuts-and-bolts workplace issues

Delegates got a preview of new national initiatives coming from CWA and the Guild and put in feedback based on the needs and concerns of our locals. The sessions also provided the opportunity to hear directly from fellow newspaper employees about what's going on in different workplaces around the country and how the situation in, say, New York or Kenosha compares with what we face in Seattle

All this may sound a bit on the dry side (and depending on the issue, it can be; personally, I had to draw the line at pension-fund actuarial data). But this is where the rubber meets the road as far protecting the health, financial security, and future prospects of ourselves and our families. So I'd like to give you a quick overview on three important items, and fill you in on how to get more involved if one or more of them strikes a chord

Train for news jobs of the future

As traditional newspapers shift more and more product and work online, the demand for new job skills is rapidly increasing. CWA has long operated an active training program for telecom workers, through its online CWA/NETT Academy. Now, with resources provided through CWA's Strategic Industries Fund, a new CWA/NETT training program is being rolled out to provide web-centered skills to Guild members in the newspaper industry

Courses are now available in web design (Dreamweaver, HTML, Flash), video editing, digital photography and videography. Because web production can also involve a demand for written copy from staff who have not traditionally provided it (for example, text for photo galleries and the ever-widening circle of blogs), a set of basic writing and editing courses has also been set up

In the training workshop, the same theme came up again and again among delegates from Boston to Eugene. All across the country, Guild members are being asked to take on new work on web products, with little or no training provided by the employer

There is no question that we all want Guild members doing this work, since it is the future of the industry. An active training program has a double benefit: first, it can help members cope with new demands on the job right now, when employers are leaving them to fend for themselves. Second, it will make Guild members the logical choice to do more of this kind work in the future (the employer's default choice, if you will), enhancing long-term job security

Cost was a major concern for everyone. The courses are priced at a break-even level for CWA, but still run between about $300 to $500 apiece. A higher price can be justified because CWA/NETT Academy is formally affiliated with an accredited junior college in North Carolina, and many courses are identical to those offered as regular college credits. Even so, there is a question of what is within the means of individual members. A number of delegates suggested that full or partial scholarships, offered either through the Guild nationally or by individual locals, would be needed to make the training fully accessible. Most of us in the workshop felt this would be an excellent investment by the Guild

What we need now is feedback from our members. Would you be interested in taking any of these courses? Would you like to, but is cost a problem? Is there training you would like to see offered that is not available right now? Currently, the focus is on newsroom technologies. Is there training that could be offered to circulation and advertising employees to help them as their jobs change as well

You can check out the program online at www.cwanett.org. Courses for Guild members are grouped together in a Certificate Program call "Universal Media and Journalistic Technologies." If you can't find what you want, or have other questions, suggestions, or ideas, please call the Guild office at 206-328-1190

Future of our jobs survey

Another place you can provide important feedback is through the national "Future of Our Jobs" survey, currently being conducted among newspaper industry professionals by researchers at the University of Maryland. The study is being co-sponsored by CWA, and as far as anyone can tell, it is the first systematic study of its kind ever undertaken. It doesn't just target newsroom employees but is in fact three different surveys, focusing on news, advertising and circulation, respectively

The surveys cover everything from gauging employees' personal expectations of staying in newspaper jobs to estimates of current staffing levels and the impact of new technology on jobs. Each individual survey covers a variety of job positions, so there will be questions that won't necessarily apply to you. You just need to answer the questions that seem most relevant. The survey will take about 15 to 20 minutes and can be done entirely online, at www.merrill.umd.edu/futurejobs. The researchers need a minimum of 2,500 responses to make the survey meaningful

Please do take the time to respond, especially if you work in advertising or circulation, where less research has been done. This is a unique opportunity to help create an inside picture of the newspaper industry on a national scale

Affordable health care for all

Finally, we all know that the cost, availability and security of healthcare are becoming more and more of problem nationwide. More and more employers are trying to shift a bigger share of health costs to employees, and all too many have simply abandoned providing health insurance altogether. It is no longer going to be enough simply to assume that we can fully protect our health benefits by negotiating them on a contract by contract basis. A new national strategy and new alliances built around healthcare are now needed. As a first step in this strategy, CWA has launched a website called Health Care Voices. The site lays out the basic principles and long-term healthcare goals of CWA, invites public contributions and feedback, and provides an outstanding online library of reference and research materials. If you are concerned about future healthcare for yourself and your family, making a link to the site at www.healthcarevoices.org is a great way to keep yourself informed on the issues, the debates, and the possible solutions

Like I said, these are nuts-and-bolts issues. But in a time of change, the members really need to speak on what they want and need. The lines are open. So just try to channel your inner policy-wonk for half an hour or so, and put in your two cents worth