Breaking: Possible Extension At Inky/Daily News?

Today is the final day of the contract for the Newspaper Guild, the largest union at the Inquirer and Daily News that represents a majority of the writers, editors, photographers, etc. So, y’know, the unimportant stuff.

Word came last night that there is a possible extension to the contract brewing. Federal mediator Walt Bednarczyk asked the two sides to extend the contract — both sides have already extended it once, from August 31 to today. The Guild has agreed to extension, and the company is expected to respond today.

Management has already agreed to contracts with 6 of the 12 unions at the paper.

Full memo from the Guild after the jump, but let’s share this part of it first:

With contracts with several unions still outstanding, the Company said it had no time available to bargain with the Guild Tuesday, but might have time Wednesday.

Guh-wha? Again, click through to read everything else.

Contract Extension Under Consideration

October 30, 2006

Federal mediator Walt Bednarczyk has asked the parties to extend the contract and allow negotiations for a new agreement to extend beyond the midnight Oct. 31 deadline. The Guild agreed at tonight’s session. The company is expected to respond tomorrow.

The extension request followed a bargaining session tonight at which the Company responded to the Guild’s advertising counterproposals, including a merged seniority list and maintaining minimum commission base. The Company responses led to more questions by the Guild that the Company is now researching. The Guild also presented newsroom proposals regarding, among many things, New Media, combining editorial functions of the Inquirer and Daily News, and rolling the Suburban Writers and Photographers into the Main Unit.

With contracts with several unions still outstanding, the Company said it had no time available to bargain with the Guild Tuesday, but might have time Wednesday. Should an extension be granted, all terms and conditions of the current contract will remain in effect.

Meanwhile, members of the Guild bargaining committee plan to meet with the mediator Tuesday to continue working on proposals to reach a settlement with the Company.