Pursuant to a Voluntary Compliance Agreement signed on March 27, 2023, the GCC-IBT Local 406C will conduct a new election and installation for the office of President under the Secretary of Labor’s supervision in July 2023. The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) of the U.S. Department of Labor is responsible for assuring the election is conducted in accordance with Title IV of the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA). Under the OLMS General Rules of the supervised rerun election for Local 406 president, incumbent President Mike LaSpina and challenger Mr. Ted Phillips can email members through the Local 406 website.

A letter in support of Mike LaSpina

Dear Colleagues,

I write to share my support for Mike LaSpina for president of Local 406 and urge you to do the same. Mike is a proven labor leader who has been a good steward of the union and representative for its members for decades.

 I recently sat at the negotiating table with Mike as we worked toward securing a fair contract for our nonunion colleagues who want to join us to get better wages and working conditions. The exchange with management got heated. I am a veteran journalist and no shrinking violet, but I admit I was surprised at the level of acrimony. It reminded me in no uncertain terms that the relationship between the Local and management is delicate and requires a lot of nuance to maintain. Negotiations are a high stakes game: our mortgage and housing payments, food costs, orthodontic bills and college tuitions to pay… to name a few, are on the line. 

Yes, I personally like Mike but that is beside the point. This is about voting for my own self-interest which includes making sure there is someone in the room during negotiations who has the focus and temperament to work toward getting raises and ensuring buyout language and seniority remain in the contract. You also can’t forget working conditions. Believe it or not those things did not come easy and are always under threat.  

 We need someone with experience who knows when to push and then shove a little harder but also can read the room and move on when more aggression would not be the winning tactic.  That is a skilled negotiator, and that person is Mike LaSpina. 

There are other issues that make Mike the correct candidate because of his history with the local and his demeaner. Keep in mind the next president will have to negotiate the terms of a contract for the newly organized multimedia group. This is where experience really counts because the terms established there can set the stage for each subsequent contract -- including the salaries and working conditions of everyone under the current editorial contract that expires in 2025.

The impact on my pocketbook are my main focus and Mike is the experienced leader I feel most confident to represent me when it comes to those issues. Join me in supporting him.

Please vote for Mike.

Earnestly, Deborah Morris