Newspapers, Union Begin Talks

Friday, November 17th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SEATTLE (AP) â€” Representatives from The Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and a union for 1,000 workers at both newspapers met Thursday with a federal mediator to negotiate a contract that would prevent a strike next week.

The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild said its members will begin picketing at 12:01 a.m. PST Tuesday if no agreement is reached before then. The mediator was invited to the bargaining table by both sides earlier in the week.

``We expect to meet around the clock from now until midnight Monday,'' Larry Hatfield, a union official, said in a statement on the Guild's Web site.

The union, which represents workers in advertising, circulation and editorial departments at the two morning dailies, is asking for hourly raises of $3.05, $1.55 and $1.55 over the next three years. Other issues are pension plans, benefits, and a two-tier pay scale that the Guild says discriminates against reporters and photographers based in the suburbs.

Currently, the minimum wage for a reporter with six years' experience is $844.88 a week, or $21.12 per hour. The union has been without a contract since July.

The two newspapers, which share marketing, advertising, printing and distribution under a joint operating agreement, will continue to publish if there is a strike, according to Seattle Times President Mason Sizemore.

The newspapers have offered hourly raises of 45 cents for five of the next six years. Newspaper officials say there is no reason for workers to strike because their pay compares favorably with pay offered at other metropolitan dailies around the country.

Kerry Coughlin, The Times' corporate communications director, was unaware of any specific progress made by Thursday night, was ``optimistic'' a strike would be avoided.

``There's every reason that we should be able to reach an agreement,'' she said.

The threat to go on strike at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday was designed to coincide with the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas period, the busiest time of the year for newspaper advertising.