Monday, March 16, 2009

Publisher at Herald-Leader says management has met with the union, announcement on layoffs could come within a week

The publisher of the Lexington Herald-Leader informed employees that management has met with the newspaper's employee union to discuss layoffs, wage cuts and furloughs, and an announcement from the paper will come after the union votes -- possibly within a week. Via email:
3/16/09


Everyone:

In my message to you last Monday, I mentioned that there were steps we needed to take before I could make a comprehensive announcement about upcoming cost reductions. One of those steps occurred this morning.

Company representatives met with the newsroom Guild leadership to discuss wage cuts, furloughs and layoffs within the bargaining unit.

The Guild membership will need to discuss the company’s proposal and vote on it.

While we are still finalizing plans for the rest of the company, we anticipate that we will need to apply wage cuts in all areas for employees making more than $25,000 per year.

Our intent remains to notify employees of all changes on or before next Monday, March 23.

Again, thank you for the work all of you are doing in such a difficult time.



T.M.K.
.
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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seattle PI goes online only. Last print edition tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

I hear there will be 14-19 let go in the newsroom depending on if they agree w/ the deal offered. I just hope they get it over w/ this week and don't make us wait til Monday. Of course, I also hear the Editor is out all week so they may drag it out til she returns, I don't know.

Anonymous said...

she has to get her vacation in.

Anonymous said...

they need to cut a few circ positions as well, like the wildly over paid circ vp nelson fonticiella. The marketing and home delivery mgrs i hear also are pulling in inflated salaries compared to their staffs. Neither mgrs have succeeded doing much besides trying to market themselves.

Anonymous said...

9:37 pm: Obviously you don't work in Circ. And you seem to have a personal vendetta against Nelson. Heck you can't even spell the name correctly! You are one of the pissy negative people that need to go as you can’t seem to come up with anything constructive but just continue to complain. Hopefully YOU are on the list to go.

Anonymous said...

Shame on individuals like 9:37 PM, launching personal attacks in light of these situations. Company metrics clearlu show the Herald-Leader Circ Div is the leanest run in the chain. People like 9:37 are simply sypmtoms of larger problems. Why don't you support your co-workers down in Lexington instead of spewing venom?

Anonymous said...

give me a break, there is plenty of dead weight in lexington. I don't know anything about circulation but they do seem like they are scared of the vp down there

Anonymous said...

There hasn't been soap in the showers for 3 weeks, anybody know who I should call about this?

Anonymous said...

10:44pm---we could send u a couple of bars of soap from biloxi--hell,if they hit the pressroom again,ill drive up there and bring it to ya myself