Email to employees from Belleville News-Democrat publisher

Here's the email sent by publisher Jay Tebbe to employees yesterday:

DATE: August 11, 2009
TO: All Employees
FROM: Jay Tebbe
SUBJECT: Wage Freeze Update

As you know from McClatchy's recent earnings report, the company is making progress in weathering this difficult economy. Still, we continue to experience a challenging revenue environment and must remain disciplined in our cost control efforts.

With that in mind, we plan to extend the current wage freeze for all employees (including corporate) at least through December of this year, with the hope of restoring merit increases sometime in 2010, as business conditions warrant. As we finalize budget plans this fall, each McClatchy newspaper will determine when the freeze will end.

The year end bonuses for 2009 that would normally be paid in January, have also been removed from our budget until business conditions improve.

I am aware that these updates are hardships on everyone, but we are determined to successfully manage through a recession that has few precedents. We remain committed to lifting the salary freeze and reintroduce the year end bonus as soon as financial conditions allow.

Meanwhile, thank you for the contributions you've made toward helping us achieve our goals. We're all in this together, and your hard work has helped the company position itself for better days ahead.

Please contact your manager if you have questions.

Jay Tebbe
President and Publisher
Belleville News-Democrat
120 S. Illinois St.
Belleville, IL 62220

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From comments, Charlotte got the same email

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