Way up there in crunchy granola Vermont, a reader wonders: "How many GCI shops are having holiday parties this year? Bonuses? I work in Burlington. We haven't had a party in 5-6 years, but every year for Thanksgiving we get a choice of a ham, block of cheese, turkey or some vegan thing. Simply outstanding."Moments later, a Garden State reader fires back: "You're kidding me, right? We get nothing in N.J. In fact, we're expected to walk to work, for miles, all uphill, in the snow, and with no shoes! And we like it!"
Then, from Somewhere Unknown in Gannettland, another reader insists: no, their Gannett workplace is the most pathetic! "This holiday season we will all get a Cornish game hen with pink slip stuffing!"
Finally, from a sturdy, Midwestern state: "Snow in N.J.? Wah, wah. Come live in Wisconsin; we had snow yesterday."
Join the debate -- or start a new one, in Real Time Comments.
Regarding the Jersey comment:
ReplyDeleteDoesn't anyone know sarcasm when they see it??
The truth is we had Christmas parties in Asbury Park until good ol' Skip came on board. They were an annual event. We brought our kids in, they raffled off the graft that came in to the reporters over the course of the year -- the money went to Bob Collins' pet charity, Juvenile Diabetes research -- and it was really a nice time.
Good ol' Skippy killed that, though.
What's a Christmas party?
ReplyDeleteNo, seriously -- I've been in journalism for almost eight years now, and no Gannett paper I worked for had it in that time.
In any case, they're pointless, I think. Save the money for something else -- like Web design!
You are all kidding right? With things being as bad as they are...with layoffs...with everything in the industry as it is... You're all whining about what you do/don't get for a holiday party? Maybe everyone needs to take a giant step back and re-evaluate their situation. How many jobs would a party or other similar useless function or meaningless gift cost? Please, people... The lavish wasteful parties left with the nineties. Myself, I would have preferred they take that pot of money and chop it up. That said...those days are long gone.
ReplyDeleteFor the past several years, employees at WXIA have received a $25 gift card at a local grocery store on the Thanksgiving holiday, and there's been at least one cash bonus given yearly as well. (Unfortunately, both items are taxed, and the taxes show up on your next paycheck, but at least it's something.)
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take rocket science and/or even direct, Gannett cash outlays to reward employees for their efforts this time of year - those who are left sadly.
ReplyDeleteIt can be easily done by having a formal trade agreement with an advertiser; i.e. trade out a full page or two (typically above and beyond what they do) for gift certificates that can be given to employees. The cost of a printed page is still significantly cheaper, and there's usually room to "squeeze" them in without affecting page count and/or newshole.