Sunday, April 18, 2010
Week April 12-18 | Your News & Comments
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Jim says: "Proceed with caution; this is a free-for-all comment zone. I try to correct or clarify incorrect information. But I can't catch everything. Please keep your posts focused on Gannett and media-related subjects. Note that I occasionally review comments in advance, to reject inappropriate ones. And I ignore hostile posters, and recommend you do, too."
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A friendly reminder: Thursday is federal income tax day.
ReplyDeleteA NYT reporters said that since he now doing most of his writing at home and sending it by net back to the Times, that his writing has improved. I would like to put a question out to Gannett's writers. "Those of you who are not coming into the office less and doing more of your writing at home> Do you believe that the quality of your writing has improved? Also how many of Gannett's newspapers are having their reporters, (columnist, feature) not come in and do their writing at home.
ReplyDeleteLast week, the Springfield News-Leader made a big announcement about using USA Today;s basball page. Today, no announcement, but the News-Leader began using USA Today's national/world news summary page.
ReplyDeleteMy blogging software is publishing comments erratically at the moment because of an apparent glitch. Please be patient while it's being fixed.
ReplyDeletePhoenix Newspaper pressroom turn down contract which would cut pay by 5% the 1st year, freeze wages the 2nd year, and give them back 2% the 3rd year. They also would lose a weeks vacation from 4 weeks to 3 weeks and could work 2.5 hours per week at straight time until 40 hours is reached. at present we work 37.7 hours. All this while the top dogs still rake in the cash!!!!! Noncontract people beware!!!!!
ReplyDelete12:06 -- Cheers to the pressroom for turning down the contract. Gannett has stopped the companywide freeze on pay increases and doled out hefty bonuses to executive staff. If the increase in stock prices justifies bonuses for 2009, there's no reason press folks should have to give anything up.
ReplyDeleteKeep fighting the good fight. I suppose the company could replace every press person in Arizona, but it would be very difficult and expensive. You do have some bargaining power.
Ride it out...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.c777db6bb9bfd74b87df050b0c00e441.2c1&show_article=1
Interesting link 1:41. I'm one of the folks who has long said I believe newspapers -- both print and online -- will survive. The real question is what do you want your career to look like in 10 years?
ReplyDeletePapers don't necessarily need more revenue streams to survive. They can simply continue to cut expenses, which is what I expect to happen. That means only a handful of people in the news game will be able to make a middle-class or better wage, while many people will remain employed at what we now consider entry-level pay. This has happened in other industries, so there's no reason to think that newspapers won't be next.
Since entry level pay stinks, and I'm not going to put all my eggs into the hope that I'll be one of the chosen stars who actually makes good money, I'm looking to another career. It certainly doesn't hurt to have options these days, and you can certainly stick with newspapers if things start to pan out differently.
Those of us who are still in the business right now are in a pretty good place. We have likely made it past the largest rounds of layoffs and may be able to milk reasonable pay out of our jobs for a few more years. But this IS the time to be readying yourself for something else down the line.
3:28 now is the time to be looking. I think you may have a few years left but it may go quicker than some think. I know its hard finding anything especially money wise but you have a little time on your hands don't wait until it completely goes down.
ReplyDeleteNo reason not to ride it out, unless you work for an jerk who's causing you health problems.
ReplyDeleteBut don't think for a minute that there are not layoffs ahead. The rest of this year will look good because of the massive cutbacks from last year. But if ad revenue declines "moderate" to even to 10-12%, they will need another big expense reduction to hit the bottom line in Q1 next year or earnings will take a big hit.
To Richard Michem - I stayed home to write and got much more done than I would have had I been at the office. The reason? I could spend 5 or 6 hours "set" hours at work waiting for call-backs or I could make calls early in the morning from home and then file my stories from home. There were no distractions and no uncomfortable a/c (or lack of it) to bother me. Then I'd have the day free to do as I pleased.
ReplyDeleteGannett wants Pressman's Union in Phoenix to "pay" for not accepting furoughs last year... Our last contract was one largely forced on us, surely we didn't like it, but Gannett didn't blink in asking us to take (non-contract) furloughs even as the bigshots awarded themselves bonuses, raises and stock. We declined the furloughs and expected Gannett to respect the agreement that they signed! Alas, Gannett is a spiteful employer. Be-that-as-it-may, Gannett has misjudged the situation here in Phoenix. People are just sick to death of Gannett and their dictatorial ways. Most feel they have nothing to lose.
ReplyDeleteI always get more done when I'm not being micromanaged.
ReplyDeleteIs it true that top salary positions are being target now?
ReplyDeleteFort Myers to take USA Today pages.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.news-press.com/article/20100404/COLUMNISTS48/100403037/1172/COLUMNISTS
This is the best sentence of the entire column: "We will be tapping into their depth, sophistication and intelligence." Has he ever looked at a USA Today?
lets hope top salary positions of bad managers are finally the target!
ReplyDeleteI'm still ticked off about the health plan audit. I had my kids on and they kicked them off. This company sucks. I work hard, they deserve to be on health care even if they are employed elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard anything on here about Ripple6 lately. Anyone have any news?
ReplyDeleteThought about Ripple6 while reading a story recently about what's going on with online privacy.
If Gannett wants to save money without impacting much of anything, the bean counters should look at Westchester. The executive managing editor position could be cut, the VP news could be cut and turned into a managing editor slot, and the photo chief could be eliminated.
ReplyDeleteIf it wants to dig deeper, the Poughkeepsie paper and Westchester could operate with a single publisher.
Why eliminate so many worker bees and keep the queen bees buzzing?
Jim, in the past you have used this blog to ignite fires well I think the time has come for a fire storm. Employees at Gannett think Gannetts holds all the cards but they are wrong. Employees and others can boycott this giant. If noncontract or contract simply withhold your cooperation and dedication(should not be hard to do)to the job. Put only company match in 401k Gannett makes money off you by not paying social security on none taxed dollars. Pull your 401k money out of Gannett stock. Ask friends and relatives to stop the paper and not visit Gannett internet sites. If union write to President Hoffa (Teamsters) and Trumka (AFL-CIO) asking the unions to pull pension fund money out of Gannett stock and all members stop receiving and Gannett paper and not visit Gannett internet sites.
ReplyDeleteto 12:07 p.m. - To what end? Force additional layoff??
ReplyDeleteLets not be hasty here...As a former Gannettoid - took a buyout last year - I don't have many pleasant memories of the company. But that doesn't mean I want the company to fail. Scrape away the deadwood - much of which has floated to the top of the pile - and there are still a lot of good people hard at work for the Evil Empire.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fact of life that companies need profits to survive. The consolidations were inevitable given circulation and advertising declines.
Gannett cut a lot of its VPs a year or two ago, but there's plenty more fat that could be rendered from the executive ranks.
And it would be nice if the company invested a bit in its product, especially the Web sites. Good enough ain't good enough anymore.
Following on the post by 3:22 pm: One of the single-biggest layoffs of vice presidents and other directors came in September 2008, when Corporate eliminated about 100 of those jobs.
ReplyDeleteHi Jim. Does your 3:45 PM post allude to more of the same soon?
ReplyDeleteNo, 4:53 pm; I was merely offering some background information, in connection with 3:22 pm's post. I have no inside knowledge on layoffs at any level.
ReplyDeleteHow many of you believe that current employees will get a raise this year? Does anyone have the original memo?
ReplyDeleteHere is the memo:
ReplyDeleteMarch 1, 2010
To: All US Community Publishing employees
From: Bob Dickey
I am very pleased to let you know that we are lifting the USCP wage freeze, effective April 1.
Thanks to the outstanding efforts across our division, we have been able to continue restructuring our costs, improve our revenue trends and are tracking as we hoped for the first quarter.
Going forward, we will get back into the normal review cycle where people will be eligible for raises based, as always, on performance and contributions to the overall organization.
You all have done a great job getting us off to a very good start this year and I sincerely thank you for all of your support and hard work. As always, please feel free to email me with any questions or ideas about our business. My email is address is rdickey@gannett.com.
Regards,
Bob
We're hearing they'll start combining some of the top editor positions shortly.
ReplyDelete10:42 pm: I sure would like to know where these rumors are coming from -- and whether any of them are remotely true.
ReplyDeleteFor background information only: There's a precedent for combining top editors's jobs in a big way; consider what happened last July at Gannett's 10-paper Newspaper Network of Central Ohio.
ReplyDeleteThe press folks in Arizona should use that memo in their negotiations. We're off to a "very good" start. Other people are getting raises. Concessions would seem uneccessary unless Dickey is lying. And he would never do that. ;-)
ReplyDelete12:07 -- You make a lot of good points. Especially the one about dedication to the job. It's just a job and that's the way Gannett wants it. Otherwise, the company would have shown some loyalty to employees last year. So, put in your hours and then forget about it. No calling in after hours. No unpaid OT. None of the things that profit the company but not you.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would encourage people to stop subscribing to the paper. That will only hurt those who need to stay employed with Gannett. I would not, however, encourage people to keep their subscriptions if they are unhappy with the paper. People who buy the papers out of loyalty alone aren't doing anyone any favors because that encourages all of the stupid corporate programs.
If you hate the new USAT pages, drop your subscription. Corporate measures success through readership and advertising dollars, and the two are interconnected. If, however, you love your paper, keep the subscription. That means there's something positive happening in your town.
I was laid off in July, got some TPP.
ReplyDeleteI got two W2s, both with Gannett's name. My tax software said the main W2 was wrong with too much taxes withheld. Was the second a corrected one that fixed it? Or a separate one that addressed TPP?
Software said ask for a new w2 and do not file yet, but Googling shows often a corrected is sent and if both are entered separately, it'll balance out and can be filed. The TPP confuses me. Did laid-off people get two w2s?
Money really is driving the paper. Last week the Journal News dedicated probably half the front page and more to Fairway Market a locale grocer expanding in the area and a current advertiser. Today's paper has a spadea on the front page anouncing the grand opening. The store expanding is news worthy but not front page except that they advertise with the Journal News.
ReplyDeleteMoney drives what appears as news.
@1:56 AM Yes-there are two W-2's. One from your regular pay and one for TPP. The TPP should show no Social Security witheld. File both.
ReplyDeleteThanks 9:35. So if it says too much ss tax was withheld, would the second of offset that, too, or is that a separate issue I need to take care of?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100413/NEWS/100413012/Judge-declares-mistrial-in-Allen-case
ReplyDeleteGoes to show that good enough is not always good enough.
Noncontract people beware: Gannett is asking telling how ever you want to put it for a 5% paycut and a loss of one weeks vacation in both Pressroom and IBEW Phoenix contract proposals. I would be suprised if noncontract people are not next if they get this from the unions.
ReplyDelete"March 1, 2010
ReplyDeleteTo: All US Community Publishing employees
From: Bob Dickey
I am very pleased to let you know that we are lifting the USCP wage freeze, effective April 1."
Who knew that the lifting of a wage freeze meant that not only could wages go up but also go down?
Jim: The NNCO papers didn't lose their top editors last summer. They all just report to a single group editor in Newark. Each site still has a managing editor or whatever the title is for their local top editor.
ReplyDeleteThey did lose (small) local copy desks and maybe an online person; those jobs were consolidated in Newark and Mansfield, where many of those affected moved.
Good point about wage freeze being lifted. We ASSUME (make an ass out of you and me) that wages will go up!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete12:35 pm: I will take your word for it, as I can't find the entire memo sent to staff by Linda Greiwe, president of the NNCO division. As I recall, I only posted portions of it to protect the privacy of individual editors identified by name in the memo.
ReplyDeleteAs I understand your comment, this reorganization created a new layer of editing: a single group editor in Newark. But here's what I'm wondering: Did the remaining top editors at the individual sites retain their titles and base wages? Or did their titles get changed to managing editor from executive editor?
After all, Greiwe said one goal of the reorganization was "to consolidate leadership of our Information Centers under one editor." That suggests a diminution of authority for the local editors, and therefore a likely wage cut.
It would be like busting a publisher down to a general manager, a position that I believe pays less.
Congrats on the Webby Gannett
ReplyDeleteIn answer to part of your question Jim, at the Mansfield Newsjournal,The former publisher, and executive editor, is now called the, "General Manager and Editor"
ReplyDeleteThe agreement Gannett has in Detroit with Dean Singleton runs out Aug. 4. Things are too quiet here. Anyone heard anything?
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!! This just came in as an alert. I think it was just announced.
ReplyDeleteGSI Commerce Selects Chris Saridakis as Chief Executive Officer of Marketing Services Segment
Marketing services visionary to lead in newly formed chief executive role; Positions GSI to capture key growth opportunity
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., April 14, 2010 – GSI Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: GSIC), the leading provider of e-commerce and interactive marketing solutions, today announced that Chris Saridakis has been appointed as chief executive officer of the company’s Marketing Services segment. In this capacity, Saridakis will oversee GSI’s existing marketing services businesses, e-Dialog and TrueAction, and will execute the company’s overall marketing services growth strategy, including the addition of new business lines, geographic expansion and further acquisitions.
Since announcing marketing services as a growth initiative in 2007, the segment has emerged as an important contributor to GSI’s growth and profitability, fueled by strong organic growth and the acquisitions of e-Dialog, Silverlign and Pepperjam. The Marketing Services segment contributed annual revenue of $127.6 million in 2009, up from $26.9 million in 2007, and has approximately 800 employees.
Saridakis joins GSI from Gannett Co., Inc., a leading news and information service, where he served as senior vice president and chief digital officer since 2008 and head of Gannet Marketing Services. Prior to his role with Gannett, Saridakis was CEO of PointRoll, and helped build the company into the leader in rich media, serving the world’s top creative and media ad agencies. Previous to PointRoll, Saridakis served as senior vice president and general manager of DoubleClick’s Global TechSolution division, during which time he expanded the company’s global footprint.
“Marketing services represents a tremendous opportunity for GSI with the dramatic shift of marketing dollars moving from traditional channels to online. Given the enormous void that currently exists in the online industry for an end-to-end marketing services company, I am looking forward to having Chris build this segment into the global leader in the space,” said Michael G. Rubin, founder and CEO of GSI. “Our e-commerce clients – and the industry as a whole – are becoming more sophisticated when it comes to interactive marketing. With the addition of Chris leading this segment, our clients can expect to gain further benefits from our cutting-edge, effective and measurable marketing solutions.”
“We are in the midst of a shift in consumer behavior, with people spending more time than ever online,” said Saridakis. “GSI is uniquely suited to lead the industry in responding to this shift by developing innovative marketing products on a global scale, including emerging areas such as mobile, social and data-driven products and services. Working with Michael Rubin and the rest of the GSI team is a fantastic opportunity for me to bring new marketing solutions to GSI clients—who are some of the leading brands in the world.”
Saridakis will officially join GSI on May 17, 2010, and report directly to Rubin.
About GSI Commerce
GSI Commerce® is the leading provider of services that enable e-commerce, multichannel retailing and interactive marketing for large, business-to-consumer (b2c) enterprises in the U.S. and internationally. We deliver customized solutions through an e-commerce platform, which is comprised of technology, fulfillment and customer care and is available on a modular basis or as part of an integrated, end-to-end solution. We offer a full suite of interactive marketing services through two divisions, TrueAction™ and e-Dialog. Additionally, we provide brands and retailers a platform for online private sales through RueLaLa.com, and an online, off-price marketplace, SmartBargains.com.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteHere is a breakdown of the changes that happened in the NNCO South Group.
Chillicothe and Lancaster Publisher is now General Manager of Coshocton, Zanesville and Lancaster.
Chillicothe's general manager is the former managing editor. He kept the managing editor role.
Zanesville and Coshocton's Publisher is now VP of Operations and based in Newark.
Zanesville's former managing editor is now audience development editor based in Newark.
Newark's managing editor was promoted to Executive Editor and is in charge of all newspapers.
There are managing editors in Zanesville/Coshocton, Lancaster, Newark and Chillicothe.
Very cool. Congrats Chris. Nice job and best of luck. We will miss you here in VA.
ReplyDeleteHey arizonia press guys and gals be very careful they may move the printing to Maple Grove MN and truck the papers.
ReplyDeleteNot surprising about the Journal News. "Editor" Henry Freeman actively is involved in sales and promoting advertisers through coverage. It may be why he's kept his job even though circulation has plummeted from 145,000 just a few years ago to now under 40,000.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIs Gannett rehiring? Lookee:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jobpath.com/Jobs/Gannett/Reporter/J8H0Q06CW1ZJ9KP9T2F
More layoffs loom if GCI reports continued losses:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businessinsider.com/gannetts-earnings-could-signal-newspaper-death-or-revival-2010-4?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+businessinsider+%28Business+Insider%29
Duh
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @ 9:51pm said...
ReplyDelete"Hey arizonia press guys and gals be very careful they may move the printing to Maple Grove MN and truck the papers."
If they could, they would. Gannett could have printed the Tucson Citizen easily enough up here in their now closed East Valley plant... Then go head-to-head with Lee's Arizona Daily Star. But I guess the JOA was too enticing a thing. I mean, killing the Citizen and making a profit. Perfect model for Gannett.
Asbury Park Press wins a Pulitzer for a piece on rising taxes. So The Journal News of Westcher now all of a sudden has a big piece on rising taxes coming this Sunday. Typical TJN, just copy what everyone else is doing. The new slogan at TJN should be
ReplyDeleteCUT, COPY, PASTE, REPEAT
Hey Jim: Start a campaign to get Dubow on "Undercover Boss":
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2010/04/09/undercover-boss-the-perfect-stock-market-strategy/?mod=yahoo_hs
Jim, Guess what I got in the mail today? The 2009 Annual Report and Proxy Voting ballot. First time in like 5 yrs? Was told I had to vote online in the past and never knew when it was happening. Now for the Big One... I no longer work for Gannett. Was laid off last July! Unbelievable! Now they want my vote? I still have my 401 being serviced by Hewitt and I have a 0.592881 share equivalent of Gannett stock. Not much. Surprised they would even bother to mail this to me. Might vote anyway. Against anything they want, including all 10 of the Bd of Directors up for vote!
ReplyDeleteWorking for Gannett, I've noticed if there is going to be a job action at a union shop, they mobilize people from non union shops to go to fill the gaps. What if all Gannett employees call in sick on the same day this summer? What day would hurt the most? Think of all the people they let go, the money they saved, and think of all the bonuses paid out. Do you think those numbers match? Corporate gets paid bonuses and the people who really worked got pay cuts or lost their jobs. Uncle Sam should tax the hell out of those bonuses and the company, for putting all those people onto welfare.
ReplyDeleteIt's time corporate feeds the thousands of mouths out there, rather than feed their corporate greed!
Hey, krayolakat! This link goes to the Indy News Guild's site, and includes a guild opinion of how to vote:
ReplyDeletehttp://einkling.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/a-no-to-us-how-about-no-to-them/
Proposal 1. Re-election of all 10 directors, including Craig Dubow. Our suggestion: [[Vote to Withhold from all nominees]]
Proposal 2. PROPOSAL TO RATIFY Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the 2010 fiscal year. [[Vote For]]
Proposal 3. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE the Company’s amended and restated 2001 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan. [[Vote Against]]
Proposal 4. SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL relating to the use of tax gross-ups as an element of compensation for senior executives. [[For]]
Notes: #4 is interesting — a grassroots campaign by a Gannett shareholder that would ban senior executives from receiving any tax “gross-up” payments — which basically perks on a perk. Gannett had to list this proposal in its proxy but urged an ‘AGAINST’ vote. We say vote ‘FOR’ it.
And, here are some additional instructions on how to go about voting: (http://www.gannett.com/investor/2010proxymaterials/proxystatement10.htm)
Voting Instructions For Gannett Co., Inc.’s
2010 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
Gannett Co., Inc. shareholders of record on March 5, 2010 may vote their shares for matters to be covered at the Company’s 2010 Annual Meeting of Shareholders using a toll-free telephone number, via the Internet or using the attached proxy card. Your telephone or Internet vote authorizes the Named Proxies to vote your shares in the same manner as if you marked, signed and returned your proxy card. Below are voting instructions for all three options.
Vote By Phone — 1-800-560-1965
Use any touch tone telephone to vote your shares at any time 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, until 12:00 noon (CT) on May 3, 2010. Have your proxy card in hand when you call. You will be provided with simple voting instructions.
Vote by the Internet — www.eproxy.com/gci/
Use the Internet to vote your shares at any time 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, until 12:00 noon (CT) on May 3, 2010. Have your proxy card in hand. You will be provided with simple voting instructions.
Vote By Mail
Mark, sign and date the attached proxy card and return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope by May 3, 2010.
If you vote by phone or the Internet, please do not mail your proxy card.
THANK YOU FOR VOTING.
We here In Phoenix have had enough! ONLY three raises in "Ten Years". And the company wants us to take a pay cut for three years!! Living and inflation have hurt us. We are pissed! The contract Which entails a 5% first year and they give back 2% the second and we lock in for another 3% the third and give back hours and vacation weeks? We have risen from the ashes as the phoenix and are ready to fight the greed "Gannett" breeds in their managment. TAKE, TAKE, TAKE and no respectable give....................there will be a resolve that was NEVER ever seen before in the phoenix area that will bring the grassroots of the other departments that will make the goliath see itself for what it has finacially depressed us workers and tried to submiss us! NO MORE NO MORE!!! ENough IS enough!!! Take head for life spins on a dime and owe us alot of dimes our relentless oppresessive employer! OH, We should find another job?nope we are intend to expose you to America for the greedy corporates that you are and let the chips fall will they may! Good riddence!!!!!
ReplyDelete9:41 -- If there was a companywide sickout, I think Friday would be the best day, at least in editorial. Many shops work with only skeleton crews on the weekends, meaning Friday is the day that crews are designing the Saturday paper, plus preprint sections for Sunday and Monday. It could effectively screw up three days worth of product -- including the all-important Sunday paper -- if most people were gone on a Friday
ReplyDelete$.50/share non-gaap, beating street estimates of $.41/share. Debt down $260M. Broadcast just *crushed* last year's 1Q.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, March revenues were just a hair down from last year, and for the first time in a long time the "forward looking" comments for 2Q were quite positive rather than some variation of cautious. This is the first time I can remember in several quarters where some variation of the phrase "significant headwinds" did NOT appear in their release, but the phrase "well positioned for continued growth" DID appear.
What's that mean? Well, they didn't quite come right out and say it (maybe they will in the analyst call), but basically they just predicted 2Q revenues will likely beat year-over-year for the first time since the wheels fell off in 2008.
You there in Phoenix!! Go out on strike and see how fast they replace you!! I am a layed off Press
ReplyDeleteOperator, I could use the strike money!!
I am a layed off Press
ReplyDeleteOperator, I could use the strike money!!
Did you go to Detroit?? Did you buy underwear and socks?? :-))
We hear that corporate has been showing up lately at individual sites that they believe are performing poorly so they can "evaluate" the situation.
ReplyDeleteI'm a union member but I will say this. Not all workers need unions. This is because they are treated fair by there employers and they mostly have good pay, benefit and working conditions to keep unions out. If anyone looks back at the labor movement they will find this is the why unions formed by unfair treatment. For nonunion people remember your pay, hours, benefits were earned by what this people did not because in this case Gannett loves you.
ReplyDeleteAs unions go, so goes your paycheck. Is it any wonder your pay and benefits are under attack? You getting that odd feeling that more and more of your hard earned money is going in their pocket than yours? As more and more workers fund their company's 401K, this gives them the deep pockets to hire lawyers to beat down employee pay, benefits and working conditions. It's a self-defeating exercise for us. We fear that our futures will be bleak if we don't "invest" in company stock. Gannett and other corporations do nothing to allieviate this fear. They have taken this infusion of money and have used it against us, and especially unions, to whittle away at our middle-class standing. At some point in time, you won't even be able to afford company sock. Corportions like Gannett are betting against their futures for a quick-profit present. Hell, if this keeps up, the American middle-class won't be able to participate in our high-powered economy by not having the money to purchase the very things that keep it going. Moral of the story? Don't continue to be fooled by what Gannett is selling. They will gladly take your money and use it against you.
ReplyDeleteIs this a new Crystal Palace department?
ReplyDeleteMichael Maness, Vice President, Innovation and Design
Where did you see that? I ask because he's had that title for some time. In fact, he may have a new title now.
ReplyDeleteA press release listed him as a judge for the unsung heroes awards. Just what exactly does this title mean? I'm scratching my head that he's around.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of strange dead wood at USA Today, especially in the supposedly futuristic departments like "innovation" and the digital things. What did Sardakis actually do except hold everyone's hand that we had someone smart? What did he accomplish? How is the company better that he was here?
ReplyDeleteNothing against him, but it seems like the board and corporate types think if someone speaks the digital language, that's enough. It must comfort them, even though nothing gets accomplished!
Anyone know what is happening in Lafayette, La. ME left too?
ReplyDelete"Jim said...
ReplyDeleteA friendly reminder: Thursday is federal income tax day."
Turbo-taxed my '09 federal and state. The Gannett Pension triggered the software's 10% penalty for early retirement savings withdrawal, as expected, but my first-time home buyer credit checkmated that pain. On the flip side, Virginia delightfully welcomes that extra pension income and taxes appropriately, with no state tax relief plans for first home purchases.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100418/OPINION06/4180358/1040/OPINION06/Borrowed-coverage-in-this-case-makes-good-sense
ReplyDeleteNow if this don't beat all!!!
So, there's something brewing in Lafayette. But let's see how fast this gets fixed...
ReplyDeleteDenise still listed as the editor...
http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/99999999/CUSTOMERSERVICE02/41202001
Jim - Great to have you back. This is where we come to find out what's happening in our company. A previous entry was dead-on about 2Q earnings. Look for another stellar quarter. That's the real reason why management didn't force furloughs for 2Q. They knew 1Q would be amazing. That plus those outsized bonuses for Dubow, Martore and the division heads just couldn't support yet another two-fisted theft of pay from those who have already given so much. Never before has so much been taken from so many by so few. Tell me, how does Dubow merit a $1.5 million bonus when he was out on medical leave for 4 months? And how does Martore earn a $950,000 bonus when layoffs, furloughs, wage freezes and piling two to three jobs on singular employees is the reason why those bonus monies were possible? What about shared sacrifice?
ReplyDeleteMaybe something happens to you after spending a few years at the top. You forget what its like to worry about paying a mortgage, putting food on the table and children through college. You become desensitized to the everyday struggles of us ordinary folks.
So tomorrow when you go to the office, be different. Think about that manager who's taking care of an elderly parent; the supervisor who's deciding between paying the car note or the electricity bill this month. Try rewarding the employee who does a great job and only wants to be valued and recognized, just like your bonuses and salaries are meant to acknowledge your accomplishments.
8:53 -- Many of the people taking these massive bonuses were born with the proverbial "Golden Spoon" and have never worried about paying a mortgage, etc. They were born into wealth and don't even understand what it would be like to live off of an annual wage smaller than the budget of their expense account.
ReplyDeleteThat ... and they're bastards.
3:50 -- I'm not in a union, but I'm smart enough to know that it's people who think like that guaranteed your layoff. If you don't have the balls to hold out so that your colleagues in the industry can make a stand and try to earn a decent wage, then you deserve to be out of work. If everybody thought like you, we'd all be working for $2 an hour.
ReplyDeleteSo, go take the strike money and then ... six months from now when you're out of work again ... look in the mirror and say, "Thanks."
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete