A tipster informs me Modesto Bee employees will find out today or Monday who will be laid off.
Another source was recently in the Modesto Bee building and tells me the feeling inside the building is doom and gloom.
"People were walking around with their heads hanging down, not a smile on their faces."
According to the source, one employee said she didn't know what would happen to the Modesto Bee or McClatchy but she was sure it would be "bad."
UPDATE: From comments, a Modesto Bee employee says Bee employees are hanging in there under the circumstances but mainly want to know what is happening.
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21 comments:
I have many good, hard working friends there at the Modesto Bee. I hate to see any of them in this situation faced now. Keep your chin up. -Ken Clements
"To Bee or not to Bee -
That is the question."
Anonymous
Enough with the drama about people hanging their heads. Yes, it's a difficult time inside the building. But from where I am, there are hard-working, upbeat journalists doing their jobs and being as professional, friendly and yes, sometimes funny, as they've ever been. It's no doubt hard, and unfair, to have to work with such uncertainty, but it's not exactly what is described on the front of this blog. Gee, now that's a surprise!
For those of you who get a "last paystub" double check the math on days worked versus benefits charged for.......
It is harder for those of us in Modesto than elsewhere.
We are in the foreclosure capital of the world. Our home values have lost an average 65 percent of their value in the last three years.
For those of us who believed in the company and bought McClatchy stock, we've watched it's value sink from about $75 a share down to 52 cents.
The unemployment rate here is pushing 15 percent, and most of the jobs left in the county pay practically minimum wage with no benefits.
We have families to support, so yes we are gloomy. You would be too if you couldn't sell your house for what you owe but have to move to get a job. Especially if your MNI nest egg is nearly worthless.
Sacbee Comment: “The CA Bees’ have towed the party line to the end, and now that line has turned into the soup line. Nice work”
Re: “It's no doubt hard, and [unfair,”]
Unfair, like the liberal reporting is [unfair.] Is that what you really ought to be mouthing today?
I'm glad 9:37 has such an upbeat attitude...take your blinders off! I was there over 20 years and have seen it on top and now in the toilet. Yep they are hard workng 'cause they are trying to keep their jobs. Yes they are professional and friendly because that is what they were trained to be. What kind of funny is there around there...gallows humor? Next time you walk through the lobby and see that ugly green "painting" with all the names of the employees who were "transitioned" read the names...read each and every name and see who they are...my name is on there!!! Now laugh hard...real hard...the joke is on you!
10:05, and others in Modesto, my heart goes out to you. It's been tough for many of us in Fort Worth, but the economy here is not nearly as bad, I have to admit. And few us invested heavily in the stock when McClatchy bought us in '06 (and then rapidly ruined our paper). Hang in there...somehow.
10:47: I don't have an upbeat attitude. It's bad in here. It's just this line "People were walking around with their heads hanging down, not a smile on their faces." ... That's just simply wrong.
Sorry 12:19, I was in there and saw it first hand in the lobby when a couple of folks I know happened to pass through. Their heads were hanging down and they weren't texting! Narry a smile came across their faces. Don't mean to "you know what" in your Wheaties, but the end is near.
I work at the ModBee and I don't see anyone with heads hanging or anyone showing their worry to that extent, but we are all worried- wishing we would hear something by the end of the day but that doesn't seem likely considering it's 4pm and nothing has been noted. People just want to KNOW what's happening so we can move on either in our present jobs, or elsewhere.
I think the geniuses on this site that spout the Limbaugh party line are in for a rude awakening.
Liberals are in charge. You are screwed.
A friend of mine is a mental health professional providing service to a local jail. When he started he thought he would have to put a person on suicide watch if they got a long prison sentence. Then he noticed that often when an inmate returned from getting sentenced to some horrible 20 or 30 year prison term, they would return to their cell and take a nap.
He said the tension of not knowing was more stressful for them than the actual sentence.
Perhaps many of you will actually feel relieved when they get the slip and finally know.
This was posted on the Sacramento Bee's newspaper guild website until a few minutes ago:
News flash: At least 25 newsroom job cuts
In contract talks today with Bee management, preliminary numbers on job cuts were sketchy and did not quite add up. The general thrust was that 25 to 27 newsroom jobs would be cut if the Guild agrees tentatively today to everything else management wants, including pay cuts of up to 6 percent, vacation curtailments and potential furloughs. If the Guild does not agree, there could be 11 additional newsroom job cuts. Many details including buyouts versus layoffs and start date of any job cuts were still being presented.
The pay cut would be effective April 1 and would be staggered, with people making $50,000-plus losing a full 6 percent, and people making $25,000-$50,000 seeing 3 percent cuts. Those making less than $25,000 would not have their pay cut. Part-time workers would see pay cuts proportionate to their hourly rates. No furloughs would be imposed immediately, but the company wants the right to impose a one-week furlough without pay sometime between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2009, if needed. In addition, vacation accrual would be limited so that many people would be forced to take some of their paid vacation before the end of June.
Discussions are expected to go on for quite some time today at Vizcaya at 2019 21st Street, between T and U streets. People are welcome to come and go quiety at the meeting as observers — using their available break time, of course.
Tell it to the guy serving you soup in the line pal.
"I think the geniuses on this site that spout the Limbaugh party line are in for a rude awakening.
Liberals are in charge. You are screwed."
And look what happened!
Go to the "other" site to find out the real truth.
That other site hasn't updated since last Wednesday. LOL.
The reason there are soup lines is corporate geese like you always flying in a V even if you're heading straight down.
So, any new yet? Has anyone got the boot,just get it over with...so people can move on!
"That other site hasn't updated since last Wednesday. LOL."
Not true. They changed the URL, there's quite a bit of traffic and good information over there.
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