The Cincinnati Enquirer's possible plan to move printing to a non-Gannett paper in Columbus, Ohio, would eliminate at least 200 jobs, Cincinnati's Business Courier said today in a story quoting union officials at the newspaper's plant.
The newspaper revealed in August that it was considering moving production to the Columbus Dispatch by the end of next year. GCI has disclosed the likely cost savings -- less than $60 million. But the job loss estimate is the first one I've seen.
The newspaper revealed in August that it was considering moving production to the Columbus Dispatch by the end of next year. GCI has disclosed the likely cost savings -- less than $60 million. But the job loss estimate is the first one I've seen.
I thought this was a done deal. The "non-Gannett paper in Columbus, Ohio" is already upgrading their presses for the project.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds just like that deal where USA Today is being printed at the Orlando Sentinel...
ReplyDeleteIt's probably a done deal. But last I checked, GCI hadn't signed a definitive agreement.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great deal for GPS. The cost savings will be in the millions. The quality of the paper will be 99.9% better. Too bad for the press guys in Cincy, but the fact is only a handful of guys know how to run the press, the rest just sit on their ass in the reelroom all night and make paster and get paid $27 an hour, I was a MIC a while back at Western Ave, and it was a joke how little work these clowns made. I still work for GPS at a different site and I hope this cost savings measure will help out the rest of the unit
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a done deal until the press operators union in Columbus, the Teamsters, approves concessions to help the Dispatch save $1.5 million. It puts those workers in a tough bind, but if they approve the concessions they save their jobs and the Dispatch will be a "printer" instead of a "printee." If they reject it, Plan B could be Dayton, which is much closer to Cincy.
ReplyDeleteDayton as a Plan B 9:58 PM?
ReplyDeleteNow that would be a very surprising choice given Cox’s press cannot currently shrink to the size Buchanan seeks. And more importantly, the competitive issue that exists as both Gannett and Cox seek and compete in the market space between Dayton and Cincinnati and any agreement would have to address it, one that would most certainly involve a longer timeline due to DOJ scrutiny, as it should.
The deal with Cincinnati is what isn't a done deal. Columbus seems intent on going to a tab. But management there is also saying that if it can't lower costs, it will outsource production. Dayton has offered to print the Dispatch.
ReplyDelete10:41, I said "could" be Plan B. Per Dispatch management, Dayton has "already offered Gannett terms" for printing the Enquirer. I don't know what those terms are. I suppose it's possible that the Enquirer would remain broadsheet if printed by Dayton.
ReplyDeleteBest plan for consumers and advertisers in Cincinnati/Dayton:
ReplyDeleteDispatch prints in Dayton, creates robust content sharing between both (other shared services too), squashing Buchanan’s plans forcing her to invest more into editorial products serving the Enquirer’s northern market. It would also likely force renewed investment in Western Ave and/or a new facility which could be better justified by returning the printing of 26 weekly Community Press papers back to Cincinnati (she moved that to Lafayette five years ago) as well as Gannett’s Central Ohio group papers.
If Western’s union were smart they’d do everything they could to stand in the way of a Cox/Gannett deal as the way this is going they have little else to loose.
I can't access that entire Cincinnati Business Courier story ...
ReplyDeleteActually, I heard the numbers are more like 300 than 200. And that the Dayton thing is just a rumor in order to get the unions in Columbus to reduce their demands.
ReplyDeleteAnd 12/02/2011 7:44 PM, pretty harsh man. Not everyone at Western is a slacker.