Anonymous at 2:08 p.m. says: "Word is some papers, including Louisville, are cutting their recent pathetic mileage increases due to falling fuel prices."Anyone else hearing this? Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.
In Wisconsin mileage has been based on local gas prices for the past couple of years. As prices have gone up so has the mileage. Now that they have dropped the mileage rate has also dropped.
ReplyDeleteOne can argue with the rate itself but the system they've set up actually makes good sense.
Does Florida Today really let the staff gas up onsite as a job perk?
ReplyDeleteMiddle Tennessee papers are only getting 22 cents per mile in Jan. 09 down from 23 cents in Dec. 08. Those that travel to do their jobs are losing money every time they leave the office.
ReplyDeleteIndianapolis Publisher Michael Kane told all employees last week the rate was being cut from .36 to .26 per mile effective January 1st
ReplyDeleteOur mileage rate differs from month to month based on gas prices. The highest it has ever been in my four years there was 26 cents in recent months. It has been 22 cents the past month or two, including January.
ReplyDeleteI love it....people are losing their jobs all over the country and all you folks can do is bitch about your mileage reimbursement. There is a time and place people and this is neither.
ReplyDeleteIf the allowance went up when prices went up shouldn't it go down when they go down? I agree with 5:16. Not sure this is an issue worth tackling.
ReplyDeleteWilmington decreased its reimbursement a while back.
ReplyDeleteCheap asses.
ReplyDeleteThe company has money enough to pay someone $600,000 for part time work, but periodically chops nickles and dimes off the workers' already- way- too- low mileage reimbursement.
Pitiful. No wonder Gannett fared so well in that worst place to work ranking.
My site adjusts rates according to prices also. When prices are higher, so is the reimbursement rate. That rate, however, has never been near what the government rate is. So, employees who use their own car for work do effectively losing money.
ReplyDelete8:02 -- I'm not sure how people losing their jobs has anything to do with a profitable corporation purposely low-balling gas reimbursement. It's just one more reason people will leave this company en masse if the economy recovers. Employees shouldn't have to help cover Gannett's transportation costs any more than Gannett should have to offer free advertising to business clients simply because "times are tough."
This is a business plain and simple. If Gannett is willing to cut staff simply to maintain a high bottom line, employees shouldn't be chastised for wanting the same thing for themselves. There are plenty of companies that offer a fair reimbursement rate or use of company cars.
Each year that I work for Gannett I make less money than the year before due to poorer (and more expensive) health benefits, raises that don't keep up with the cost of living (even in tough times), and a frozen pension plan. Thus, I plan on leaving later this year. And I'll be following in the footsteps of many of my site's finest employees.
It's policies like the gas reimbursement that have chased people away for years, leaving us with subpar products and a stock price that's a fraction of what it once was.
But why complain or question our policies? Following the corporate line has been good to us so far.
9:05 you will working in the job you hate next year. You aren't going anywhere. Big talk from another malcontent. Leave now and let us know how that new employer has better medical insurance and higher mileage reimbursement. You won't of course but everyone is brave online! I love coming to the blog but I am tired of repetitive whiners.
ReplyDeleteIncredible.
ReplyDeleteAt the Poughkeepsie Journal we bore the brunt of $4-plus per gallon gasoline as we were sent out on assignments day after day.
All we got was 30 cents per gallon, up from when gas $2 per per gallon.
Any reduction would only solidify my thinking that management does not give a f--- about equity for anyone but themselves.
9:05 please name the "plenty of companies" that pay more for mileage. Better yet please name 10 that pay the government recommendation you lemmings all whine about. Cause we all know how efficient the government is don't we.
ReplyDeleteYou can call me
ILMJ
I Love My Job
If Gannett can fork over $76 grand to Mrs. Short Al, seems to me they can pay their employees a decent mileage reimbursement. BTW, the IRS is allowing 55 cents per mile for 2009.
ReplyDeleteSioux Falls:
ReplyDeleteJanuary, 2009 $ .24
December, 2008 $ .25
November, 2008 $ .27
October, 2008 $ .31
September, 2008 $ .32
August, 2008 $ .32
July, 2008 $ .33
In Atlanta (TV, not newspaper, so no one realy cares even though we're the biggest station in the group), mileage rates have only gone up in the past year. I think they're at 54 or 55 cents per. Plus, the photographers have company gas cards, as do the one-man-band reporters (MMJ/BPJ).
ReplyDeleteTo 10:25-
ReplyDeleteMy husband's company reimburses 55 cents per gallon. No, it's not a newspaper.
5:53 PM - Yes, Florida Today does allow employees to purchase gas from the company pumps at cost. It is deducted from our pay. So, yes it's a perk, but it's not free.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the post that predicted a soon-to-be former Gannett employee "will working in the job you hate next year ... let us know how that new employer has better medical insurance and higher mileage reimbursement."
ReplyDeleteI left for PR work with a state agency and my benefits, mileage rate and salary has improved IMMENSELY! More important, so has my self esteem as I'm finally being compensated a decent living wage for a decent days work.
I've worked for 4 companies -- 2 newspapers that paid mid .20s for mileage at the time and 2 other companies (1 retail and 1 nonprofit) that paid the going government rate.
ReplyDeleteHow many newspapers pay different rates to advertising, circulation and newsroom? My old paper paid advertising and circ more because they said they had to drive more as a part of their job.
Is this common?
I work for a non-Gannett newspaper, and we get .42 cents a mile.
ReplyDelete9:34 and 10:29: I surely will not be at the job I hate this time next year and -- assuming you're an employee -- there's a very good chance you won't be either.
ReplyDeleteThe company is cutting staff at a record-breaking pace and the market indicates that will continue. I will leave in part because I have no other choice. The writing is on the wall. If, indeed, there are more layoffs on tap for early 2009 and severence terms are similar to the last round, I will volunteer.
But while I'm here, I don't have to silently accept practices that downgrade the quality of the product and employees. Someday the labor market will improve and when that happens, Gannett will struggle to hire good people.
Why you think it is admirable to love a company that cuts 10 percent of its work force and then brags to the remaining employees that it is profitable is beyond me.
As for companies that offer better mileage reimbursements, I have friends who are insurance adjusters and they get company cars. So, we can start with many major insurance companies. That's just one industry. Do you really want a list of the countless organizations that pay a better mileage reimbursement than Gannett? If you think Gannett is generous in salaries and reimbursement, you've had your head buried in the publishing industry too long.
I worked for the AP and a smaller newspaper chain and got a higher reimbursement rate. AP was $.50, I think. We went from $.34 to $.29 and it was explained that this was due to the recent decline in gas prices. But did they raise the reimbursement when gas prices were pushing $5/gallon this summer? Of course not. And we are *required* to maintain and use our vehicles for our jobs, so this is not just about the price of gas.... The whole thing really pisses me off, frankly. Don't even get me started on the cell phone policy. It's no wonder Gannett has a reputation as one of the most worker-unfriendly, chintzy companies in the industry.
ReplyDelete