Scholastic's Wilmore wins Keenan Award; Meeting June 29

06/23/2016

Kathy Wilmore, whose relentless drive to galvanize Guild members at Scholastic Inc. helped usher in a quick, hassle-free contract this year after a contentious battle three years ago, has won the New York Guild’s 2016 Keenan Service Award.

The award will be presented at a meeting open to all Guild members on Wednesday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m. The Guild’s semi-annual membership meeting also will feature reports from Guild officers, a spotlight on member achievements and a wine-and-beer mixer. Click here to learn more or to RSVP.

Wilmore (pictured), who has been unit chair at Scholastic for nine years and is the Local’s second vice president, was selected from a field of six strong nominees after being nominated by two of her co-workers at Scholastic who cited her dedication, accessibility and intuitive ability to resolve contractual and workplace problems.

“I truly believe Kathy Wilmore wakes up thinking on the well-being of all the members in our Guild here at Scholastic, and she goes to bed counting each member as they hop over the fence of corporate entanglement,” said one of her nominators.

As unit chair, Wilmore was in the thick of contract talks that very quickly yielded a 9.3 percent raise over three years, which members unanimously ratified last month. It was in stark contrast to the previous round of often acrimonious talks that lasted two years, but which eventually led to Guild coverage for more employees. Wilmore’s leadership and members’ solidarity during the protracted struggle was a key reason for management’s less aggressive posture in the latest round.

In assessing the nominees for the Thomas M. Keenan NewsGuild of New York Service Award, the Guild’s Administrative Committee, which is charged with selecting a winner, looks for someone who “has performed above and beyond the call of duty in service to the New York Local, and best exemplifies the ideals of a true labor leader, in the spirit of Tom Keenan.”

Tom Keenan, a longtime activist, chaired The Times unit for 14 years, longer than anyone else, before joining the Guild staff as a representative in 1998. The award bearing his name was established in 1999, after Keenan was stricken with cancer. He died in December 2000.

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