[Updated 4:40 p.m. ET Dec. 4] Just added: A new tag here, and below, that now displays all 43 current press ops-related posts back to October 2008.
Sunday, December 04, 2011
New: a comment thread and 'tag' just for press ops
[Updated 4:40 p.m. ET Dec. 4] Just added: A new tag here, and below, that now displays all 43 current press ops-related posts back to October 2008.
36 comments:
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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We're hearing lots of rumors about a deliberate press slowdown at some sites. But are they really true?
ReplyDeleteIn another thread, Anonymous@10:59 a.m. wrote:
ReplyDeleteLet production flex the muscle it has left and do what it must do to demand better work conditions. I work in the newsroom but knew to treat the pressroom crews with respect and common courtesy. It made all the difference in whether a web break got fixed fast or if it took forever. The production, pressroom and circ jobs are hazardous and they have horrible work schedules. They are as smart and dedicated as anyone else in the building and get treated as if they should be ashamed for being blue collar.
I know in Phoenix thing seem to run a lot smoother when the managers stay out of the pressroom.
ReplyDeleteI've now checked with two press ops guys I know; neither of them know about any deliberate slowdown -- so this sounds more like 100% rumor than truth.
ReplyDeleteIn Phoenix everything, not just the pressroom, runs smoother when managers and supervisors stay away.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just wishful thinking and not an organized effort. It would be hard to pull off without some people getting canned as a result. The truth is that with less people, less maintenance on equipment and not replacing aging equipment you end up with all kinds of failures.
ReplyDeleteSTOP THE PRESSES!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs someone has already noted, there doesn't have to be anything deliberate or organized to have a difficult weekend on press. It happens all of the time due to cost cutting in maintenance, more inexerienced pressmen, and crappy equipment.
ReplyDeleteGannett could point fingers all day, but compared to prior Saturday nights, I expect that this one will be very typical. Save for some union shops, no one working for Gannett on press would sabotage a Saturday night. Pressmen want an easy night which means no breaks, and get home early Sunday morning in time to get some sleep and watch a little NFL.
Looking at the photo, those pipe rollers need cleaning!
ReplyDeleteI know when we used to print onsite, the press guys were the most capable crew ever. It's been said here before, but they had pride in their work since they were printing their hometown newspaper. They cared about the product. That press was their baby and they took great care of it. Once we moved to printing at a remote site and the press guys got scattered, no one cares about the quality of the run anymore. It's just another job, to be followed (quickly) by another job and so on.
ReplyDeleteA tip of the newsprint hat to the pressmen.
I know at my paper minimum head counts for presses and the reel room have gone out the window the last three years. Does OSHA have requirements for these jobs?
ReplyDelete2:46 Point well taken, how ever with the newer time system (kronos) busting ass to get the run off to go home is no longer an incentive. You still have to work your 8 hours. It sed too be the best shift to work, because it was SOP to come in , get the run off on time and early so we could bust out. Those days are over. But we still take great pride in our craft, and take pride in what we do. It is not an easy job, nor is it a difficult job anymore with some of the new technology we have today. The crews are cut in half and everyone has to pull their weight at my place, but screwing up a run just to do it is not in my or my crews thoughts (PERIOD)
ReplyDeleteFrom what I know the union presroomms in the Midwest along with the east are the ones who may be participating in tonight's plan for being late, that being said, a bunch more non union shops may have jumped on board after the recent furlough letters that went out this week. I guess will see what happens:) tonight. I also herd this could be a number of times this has been set up, it has been talked about for well over a couple month's. Sorry your guys don't know about it Jim, but not all press ops do, only a handful, so it can be keep under raps..you know how guys like to gossip like a bunch of old ladies and pressman are no different if not worse. I was once when I started in this biz, pressman are a bunch of old ladies, gossiping and bitching about everything :) Happy Trails to all and to all lets have a great night?
ReplyDeleteJim
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say I like your link for Our GPS Press Operators to have a spot to blog about and pass along any information we may hear now that we are a separate unit, Gannett Publishing Services.
Think you will get some interesting and informative news from this group. Just like all employee's, just because we were e a uniform to work and sometimes have to get down and dirty, we play just as big a role in making Gannett go.
We care and take pride in our jobs, and it gets to be more frustrating more and more, we still our the best at what we do. Before this current bunch in DC was in place, Production was at the for front of the company, they wanted to have the best quality products, and we were trained to do things the right way, or it was the highway. Today, that seems to have changed just like all other departments, but it is still a thrill starting up a press that cost $65 million
bucks, and cranking out 70 paper per hour, nothing like it. And it takes skilled workers to do this, so those who say were over paid, please, you try and do what we do on a daily basis. If anything we are under payed. enough, I am rambling..Thanks again Jim for the forum, hope I and other pressman can provide you with more information in the future
How many WOMEN work on presses with GANNETT?
ReplyDeleteCount them on two hands
ReplyDeleteI hear what you're saying about the pipe rollers - my first paper had a Goss Community, short runs but at least every week every roller got wiped down. With cutbacks on staff it only gets done if newsroom is late. Sometimes it looks as if we could run with empty fountains and still get the same amount of ink on the pages.
ReplyDeleteForget about maintenance, we've had a blanket smash on our page 1 lead cyan for six months - news just has figured out not to put a photo down there.
All I know is this ... any pressman who's around for a web break or late press tonight will likely be fired, whether their in on it or not. Have a good run.
ReplyDelete4:05 your a jerk off...web breaks happen all the time( not really, buy every now and then) and it takes 7 minutes to get our webs back in on on Man Roland Geoman, that's an 8 couple unit, since you don't have a clue anyways
ReplyDeleteManroland AG filed for bankruptcy a week ago, how do you say 'oh shit' in German?
ReplyDeleteHeilige scheiße works for me.
ReplyDeleteFlawless run as usual this evening. No hits, no runs, no web breaks. On time start, super quality, As usual one of the top 5 print sites for GPS puts the union boys to shame
ReplyDeleteBrevard started 40 minutes late, went down twice in the first hour. Nothing to do with any organized effort...just business as usual.
ReplyDeleteElmira was very late
ReplyDeletehttp://www.stargazette.com/article/20111204/NEWS01/111204001/SG-delivery-delayed-by-4-hours?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
Personally, I appreciate the pressmen more than they will ever know. They are a great bunch of guys and without them, no one would see what we do all day. And no, they're NOT overpaid. The only people who are overpaid in this company work at corporate. Period!
ReplyDelete2:48 are you going to throw star nails and beat vehicles with bats? That's the way your Detroit buddies rolled. And it worked out so well for them.
ReplyDelete3:25 Thats whats wrong with the press-NO WOMEN!!
ReplyDeleteGo figure.
9:04 Thank you for your comment, the guys who work in the rooms are for the most part good guys. Kinda like a team. Take's the entire crew to put it all together and keep The press running. We have good nights and some bad, but we do our best work when the pressure is on.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with you about the people at corp. are the only one's over paid, however you should put Directors in that group as well
7:58 Business as usual? Please justify your statement, I know you are wrong on this one. I guess Elmira was business as usual as well.
ReplyDelete12:21 Brevard, A.K.A. Florida Today, is luck to start on time 3 days a week. Even at that, they almost never have a run where they don't stop, some days continuously. Saturday nights you can count on a half hour late. Not to mention December where a half hour to an hour on the time card every day doesn't hurt the Holiday pay.
ReplyDeleteWho runs Production at Florida Today? Seems to me this clown has no nuts to get his press guys in line
ReplyDeleteYou got it no nuts!
ReplyDeleteHe is a real a++hole, yells, demeans, stupid, mumbles when he talks, stupid when he yells!
Now you know how I feel!
Worst manager award.
6:11 Drop a name , he won't know who wrote this and so what if he knows one of his guys call him a dumb bastard. I wish you well, I hope they keep the plant open. from: Press OP who hates working for GPS, what else is new!
ReplyDelete6:11 forgot to mention, milk them for all the OT you can get, will make up for some furlough days
ReplyDeleteRobert Campbell
ReplyDeleteGannett attorney Feldman apparently needs to brush up on contract language, or perhaps face NLRB violations for his action in a recent Phoenix pressman arbitration award. The company took away one weeks vacation that we negotiated for in previous contracts. That is all well indeed, however the company was not entitled to claw back vacation we already earned in the previous year of the present contract. Union had to go to arbitration and was awarded the vacation pay we had earned. However Feldman doesn't understand, that Binding Arbitration is just that. The union has lost cases, and so be it, the company has lost cases so be it. But now he files a civil suit to vacate the arbitrators decision. What part of Binding Arbitration do you not understand? This is law 101. Does the company not have the money to pay the approximately 50 press operators less than a weeks pay that we are owed? Maybe you can claw it out of Dubow's retirement package, I doubt he will miss it.
ReplyDelete