I’ve known Peter Szekely since 1975, including the 17 years he led the Guild unit at the Reuters bureau in Washington. He is a man of integrity and has long demonstrated an unshakable commitment to the labor movement and the needs of working journalists. No one on the scene can match his hands-on experience negotiating contracts, handling grievances and working to grow the membership.

As a journalist in the Reuters Washington bureau for 23 years, Peter handled numerous grievances and testified at arbitration hearings. He was also active in the New York Guild and its parent union, becoming Secretary-Treasurer, the Guild’s No. 2 position, in 2007 after serving 12 years as Regional Vice President on the Executive Council of the Guild’s parent union, The NewsGuild-CWA.

As secretary-treasurer, he worked with the former president to improve Guild communications, make the Guild’s money grow, bargain strong contracts, and increase transparency and member involvement. Working with Guild activists, they saved the troubled Guild-Times Benefits Fund, which pays Guild member’s health care claims at The New York Times, and developed an innovative solution when management wanted to freeze the pension plan and convert it to a 401(k).

After becoming president one year ago, Peter hired an organizer, a communications specialist and a fourth rep, so that reps could pay more attention to guild members, including those at The Times.

I would urge that you seriously consider him for re-election.