Good afternoon everyone,
Two weeks ago the need for further staff reductions was mentioned in a company announcement. Since then I have heard from a number of people regarding the frustration of working in such an uncertain environment. If you are feeling frustrated and a bit freaked out, you are certainly not alone.
Sometimes knowing even a little information is better than none, so I wanted to share with you where we are in this process.
I was hopeful that the year would start with improvements in our revenue performance - unfortunately that hasn't been the case. The financial position we are in - largely a result of the nationwide economic downturn - will force us to reduce staff in the near-term as part of our larger expense reduction plan. I suspect there won't be any official announcement regarding major product changes or staff reductions until the end of this month.
Our senior staff and managers in every division are looking for efficiencies and cost-savings measures that will help us minimize the negative impact on our employees - if you have any ideas, please feel free to let your manager, division Vice President or me know.
I know it is difficult to go home each night unsure what the next day might bring, and for that I am truly sorry. We are doing our best to make this process as humane as possible.
No matter what the next few weeks might bring, it is important to remember that there is no other company in this community who can do what we do, and that you serve a very important role.
Every morning I look forward to opening my Modesto Bee and seeing the results of all of our hard work. No financial statement can reduce the pride I have in working with you all, or can it diminish the quality of work you provide to our community.
Thank you, and thanks again for all you do.
Eric
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30 comments:
I wish I could say bravo. Just how many sick worried employees are there? Thousands all over McClatchy. What other company comes out weeks ahead of time telling the employees time is almost up. Each and every day they go to work wondering if today is the last. I hate McClatchy more for that than the actual deed of buyout/layoff.
So Eric don't send a note out now, it's WAY TOO LATE.
I guess each paper can now expect a sorry I'm going to crap on you now letter.
Suggestion for Eric:
Drop the Foreign Correspondent division -
Twitter Hamas Instead-
Cut the middle men right out of the deal -
Save big time!
Here's my take: Right now each paper is hoping to get a hard list of those opting for buyouts (at least at papers that offer such things). Tomorrow they'll appraise the list of buyout applicants and decide if there are enough to warrant buyouts. If not, they'll scrap buyouts and send out layoff notices at the end of next week. They're leaking these publisher BS annoucements as a headsup with hopes it lessens the maddness to come.
The biggest newsroom cuts will come from:
Middle management
Features
Opinion sections
7:43 What papers have already offered buyouts?
Eric is a class act and certainly someone that would have made things better years ago. He replaced another class act and with the hardship Modesto has endured the remaining employees are lucky to have experienced both.
"there is no other company in this community who can do what we do, and that you serve a very important role. "
... for approximately two more weeks, then we shitcan your "important" role and kick your sorry ass to the curb. So long, suckers!
"Eric is a class act". Do you work in HR? Letter way too late to be a "class act".
‘Eric is a class act’, it looks like one person’s ‘class act’ is another person’s ‘class asshole.’ The captain of the Titanic was a class act. He just didn’t see the iceberg that wreaked the ship. Give him a raise! A bonus!
Ask Eric about the former Knight Ridder employee layoffs, any favoritism? Ask about the Washington bureau expenses? Then you’ll know what a ‘class act’ he is. Oh, don’t forget the McClatchy boys spinning their Hamas yarns. Big, big, bucks! But, thank you for the little shit you do.
Hey 5:14, do I work in HR? No I don't but I do work! Do you? Or are you one of the disgruntled little weasels that spends all day on your PC in your room at mommy's house slamming your former employer? You will never know any class act people unless they show up in your room.
Hey 6:41...Sarah, is that you? Bored and back to bashing all the "pathetic, anonymous bloggers"? Also, too - don't you have taxes to do, or something?
I agree that this is both too late and "a class act". At least there seems to be some genuine sorrow at delivering bad news. That in itself is a rarity at McClatchy. "Heartless" is the byword where I am.
6:41 Maybe a weasel with 40 weeks of pay + another job. I' m sorry you were stupid enough to stay. I hope you get something in the end loser.
I'll tell you why Eric isn't a "class act" NO where in his little note does he mention the KR purchase is ONE of the reasons.
This is what i was blown away by anon 8:47 and by now we all know she or he is a Modesto employee.
" Eric is a class act and certainly someone that would have made things better years ago."
I don't understand where he or she was when Knight Ridder was purchased. The Modesto Bee and Eric would be in the same boat that they are in at the moment. THE TITANIC like I said almost a year ago on this blog run while you can for the lifeboats the ship is sinking and they are running out of life vests. The only ones left have holes in them.
8:55, do you really think he has that kind of latitude? None of the publishers can stand up and say that out loud in public. I'm sure many wish they could.
OK I guess all those Modesto Bee people love Eric. I guess all you have to do is send a letter saying how sorry you are and you feel for them.
What a bunch of garbage.
After outsourcing all of our call center and ad designers, many others throughout the paper were and are being laid off. Our publisher had nothing of a kind word to say to anyone. I have to say "kudos" to the MB pub for saying anything... anything at all.
I can see the so called Golden Boy Gary reading this blog every morning with his cup of java spinning in circles in his chair. I bet he is spinning with his hands up in the air saying YEAH BABY I got them fighting against each other. If you look back at some of these posts you can see we all are fighting against each other when we should be yelling at the so called Golden Boy who cant be touched.
The sun, whose rays
Are all ablaze
With ever-living glory,
Does not deny
His majesty —
He scorns to tell a story!
He don't exclaim,
"I blush for shame,
So kindly be indulgent."
But, fierce and bold,
In fiery gold,
He glories all effulgent!
I mean to rule the earth,
As he the sky —
We really know our worth,
The sun and I!
I mean to rule the earth,
As he the sky —
We really know our worth,
The sun and I!
10:02:
Which paper are you talking about?
At least he's saying something to his people, we haven't heard word one from the Publisher or our direct managers. You'd think nothing was going on if it wasn't for all of the rumors and people 1/2 sick w/worry.
"Our senior staff and managers in every division are looking for efficiencies and cost-savings measures that will help us minimize the negative impact on our employees"
So I take it that in Modesto they will AGAIN be whittling down the people that actually make the paper work and from the sounds of it, managers will AGAIN not be affected. Three years ago managers looked over double the # of employees so now we have "TOO MANY CHIEFS AND NOT ENOUGH INDIANS"...consolidate departments and oust a manager to save 2-3 "normal" jobs.
In Modesto- GET RID OF THE CLASSIFIED MANAGER, if HR would actually take a poll to see how many people would quit if they had to work for her they'd see there would be no staff left. Ahhh, I sure wish I had the race card she notriously pulls as my ace in the hole.
1:44 Take your crap someplace else.
Kevin can't you block that person?
February 19, 2009 7:32 PM
"Drop the Foreign Correspondent division -"
Their foreign correspondents are all the customer service reps in India...
February 20, 2009 6:41 AM
"No I don't but I do work! "
Lucky friggin' YOU! I thought I had a job for life...YEAH! RIGHT! The life of the company...
I'm not 5:14 and I spent all day in school retraining 'cause there aren't anymore jobs in my field. I hope you can hold on to your job...do you work for that sorry excuse of a company called McClatchy? If so, I'd start lookin' around and up date the 'ol resume.
February 20, 2009 10:00 AM
"OK I guess all those Modesto Bee people love Eric."
They don't love him, they are just kissin' you know what and hoping to keep their job!
February 20, 2009 1:44 PM
Nice "poem". Are you the one who writes the little ditties in the Obits?
February 20, 2009 4:40 PM
"In Modesto- GET RID OF THE CLASSIFIED MANAGER, if HR would actually take a poll to see how many people would quit if they had to work for her they'd see there would be no staff left."
OUCH!! (but true if it is who I think it is...also a little trimming in finance would help morale if you know what I mean).
The really "humane thing they could do now is just close the blinds and the last one out the door turn off the lights and lock up!
I really feel sorry for (the memory of) C.K. and Eleanore McClatchy and what has been done to their company.
To: 1:52
Anchorage Daily News
maybe Pruitt should ask congress for a bailout?
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