Can't find the right spot for your comment? Post it here, in this open forum. Real Time Comments: parked here, 24/7. (Earlier editions.)
Thursday, August 29, 2013
29 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."
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Monroe Spurlock promised us a pizza party if we get our "likes" up. Someone please tell her we are not in kindergarten. What she needs to do is come to work and stay while Petty is away. "LIKE" that!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWould you have preferred that she said, "Get your likes up because it's part of your job?" If it makes you feel better, simply don't eat the pizza. And good luck getting anyone to "like" you with that kind of disdain.
DeleteNothing exposes how out-of-touch/la-la land some execs can be than first offering a "carrot" where none is needed, and then it's cheap greasy pizza (years past, we at least were treated to the good stuff). I agree with 9:21 as far as it's already inherent to one's job, but that's it. I very much appreciate 9:12's disdain. I would be, and have been, insulted as well especially when the execs came around doling out ice cream replete with sprinkles. Or the hot dog barbecues (the worse thing in the world one can eat), with provision for (1) those who do not eat meat (is this new?) or (2) that one had no time for that "carrot" since deadlines loomed. It was moronic and a clear indication that we were headed for disaster.
DeleteTyped too fast. I meant to type "with NO provision for those who do not eat meat."
DeleteHell, at my old site a gathering to celebrate something we had accomplished would be announced POT LUCK!
DeleteFigures, a whiner from a paper that has a big ZERO on the layoff list. Get a grip!
DeleteScrew trying to provide for people who don't eat meat. So don't eat the hot dogs. Where I work they regularly put out cake to celebrate occasions. I'm diabetic. I have no problem with it or any expectation that they should "provide" for me. I pass on the cake and STFU.
Deletethank god 4:38.
DeleteHow's the expression go? He'd bitch if he was hung with a new rope.
When did it become a job requirement to post a company's information on your personal Facebook page?
Delete9:12 a.m., you don't have a clue. Quit your whining.
DeleteMonroe has a strong reputation for good journalism. OMG!!!
DeleteB.S.
DeleteIf Petty leaves Monre for Lafayette and Spurlock in charge I'm quitting on the spot. Working with her everyday when she is not is too much - we hate it.
Delete7:44, I am wondering the same thing. I had several requests to "like" our local paper. I don't like the paper so I won't like them on facebook either.
Delete@10:02 p.m., hope you're not a reporter because you're not making sense. But if you are, we can all suggest you find another line of work. If you hate it, leave.
DeleteGoogle Monroe Spurlock Gannett and you will get it.
DeleteI did, and I don't. get it that is.
DeleteSince the Courier news in New Jersey fired five or six salespeople, how is the department being reorganized to cover the market?
ReplyDeleteHow many salespeople are left? And how many reporters?
ReplyDeleteAt the GIADC, they're having issues catching up to ads. Manly because they waited until the past week or two to update the OS and Adobe products (to the versions that car out over a year ago), which is throwing people off and slowing them down.you have to question their logic with the timing. They could of easily have done it a month ago, when the workload was much lighter. But no, they do it when things picked up due to the holiday
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI'm just waiting for the skyped-in HR representative to appear. No need to have HR directors or reps at individual sites, you just need one director for ALL sites. Got a problem for HR, just log on to skype and wait in a queue until the next available HR representative appears. Taking it a step further, just login to a screen that asks what you need and one waits in queue until the person assigned to handle that type of function gets to you. Having HR subject-matter experts would really make the HR function run more efficiently and quicker. AND to make it even more efficient, set a timer at 3 minutes for each call. If someone has a more complex issue, the SME can add another 3 minutes to the call and so forth. Then bill each site a usage fee for each three-minute increment that their site uses. BUT encourage the SMEs to keep all calls at 3 minutes. Utilizing such a system could probably result in the reduction of 3/5ths of the overall HR staff at Gannett sites without increasing legal liability. Brilliance!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you need HR reps for at all anytime I dealt with one all they would say is you need to call so and so outside vendor to handle that. Never understood what we had HR for. When I first got hired a few years ago they submitted my address to the benefits vendor completely wrong I asked them about it and all I got in response was there is nothing we can do you need to call to get it fixed
DeleteHere's an even better cost-cutting strategy: Use skype for managers to communicate with their direct reports. Move every operation into super-small offices that only have room for a few desks. Tell all employees that they are "mobile." Tell all employees that they are to work from home and that there will be no reimbursement for utilities given. The property tax and utilities savings for the company could be considerable. Then switch all reporters, photogs, sales and digital staff over to 1099 status. Set up a 1099 pay structure that is very similar to their existing pay wage. Tell them that they can "buy in to" heavily subsidized benefits. The smart thing about this plan is that it pushes the complete burden of payroll taxes off on the employee. AND it allows the company to "slowly" pull back the 1099 pay structure and continue to keep lowering pay and upping benefit costs in a manner that employees "don't notice." "But we'll lose employees if we do that?" Guess what? The people who are left will stick it out until the end. They are too afraid to look for new, better jobs.
ReplyDeleteSituation on Phoenix………………
ReplyDeleteThe company is asking for everything but the employees first born. The contract comes with Vaseline and a can of flat black spray paint. Even though slavery was abolished in the 1800’s Gannett obviously wishes to reinstate it. (Some proof of this is that the company doesn’t want to pay on Martin Luther King Day.)
There are six items on the table, the contract language, wages, personal days, holidays, manning on the presses, and the hiring chairman’s job. The company wants the Union to take another pay cut. They are demanding a 10% pay cut. The company admits they are making money but that it is, just never enough. The company gives out massive bonuses to upper management, while furloughing their employees for profit. Gannett should change the company logo to Five Hands Squeezing a Penny.
The language changes to the contract also make it very clear the company wants slavery, not employees. The language alone is so bad that it is reason enough to not sign the contract. This contract would truly put the ability to survive as a worker in jeopardy.
The Union was railroaded by the International and previous Union president on the last contract. The contract was voted down by the membership but International Fat Cat M. Huggins held an illegal strike vote at the contract meeting. Claimed that since it was not a 100% vote to strike, the Union had to sign contract. The Union never even had a strike sanction let alone a notice to have a strike vote. This was just another sweetheart contract by Graphics Communications International Union. The last line of the contract should read Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am.
That loss in wages put the Union back a minimum of 13 years. So another pay cut would put wages back at least 20 years. With every cost continually going up across the board, another pay cut would bankrupt a lot of our members.
The Union only gets 50% of their pay when out sick. Imagine paying all your copays and then being out sick on even less income. (Non-contract get 100% sick pay).
This is a good time to mention the differences between Union and nonunion workers.
Union Non-Contract
Sick pay 50% 100%
Vacation 3 weeks 4 weeks
Personal days 10 (company wants 5 back) 5
Sick days ZERO NADA ZILCH 10
Legal aid NOPE YEP
There are many other benefits and programs that non contract workers get, that Union people do not get. Local 58 M and the GCIU have been negotiating substandard contracts for over 20 years. This is solely to insure that the FAT CATS of the GCIU keep raking in the big bucks. (Dues in Local 58M average over $65 a month) Nobody needs a Union to negotiate a pay cut and give up all their benefits. A person
can give everything away without paying dues and being in a Union. What good is a Union if it can’t protect anything? To say it’s Gannett and there is nothing you can do, is not a confidence builder.
ReplyDeleteThe company has not been negotiating in good faith. They have continually said no to everything and just keep repeating their demands. The company gave the Union a final offer on March 27th and a last best and final on May 30th. The last best and final was a mirror image of the final offer. The company wants a 10% pay cut across the board, wants to rape the contract language, wants to pay two less holidays, wants five personal days and wants the hiring Chairman’s job.
The company has stated that they feel that it is at impasse and that they can post at any time. It is very obvious that the company does not want to post conditions, they would have posted already. It has been five months, so if we are at impasse, why not post? I’ll tell you why, it frees the workers to strike and do sick outs and many other activities. They also do not want to have to list on their stock prospectus that all trades and crafts are not under contract.
The International and C. Stregemann are jumping up and down saying that the company is just waiting for us to decertify. Well if that were true why the company didn’t just ask for a 20% pay cut? The company wants the Union workers to have substandard benefits and work conditions. That is why they are going to all this trouble to get a signed contract.
The company lost an arbitration to the Union over an average of 4 vacation days. They had to pay the about 70 members four days’ pay. If the Union decertified they would have to pay these 70 plus member for all their unused time for this year and what they have earned for next year. For the pressroom this would be at least $250,000. Then the company would have to give you time back for what you would have as a non-contract workers.
Recently the Union and the company met for two days. The two fat Cats from the international came in and tried to promote taking pay cuts etc. The two FAT CATS were M. Huggins and R. Lacey. On the first day Huggins said hell why don’t you just give them the Hiring Chairman’s job. On the 2nd day Lacey wanted to have a one on one meeting with Dale Dingle berry Carpenter. There was only one member of the scale committee who objected to this. The result of these back door one on ones by the International only results in lost wages and work conditions.
Lacey then towards the end of the day after repeatedly telling us that there is no way to escape a pay cut, he suggested a special Union meeting. In this special Union meeting he said that we should make a proposal and show some movement, In other words start making concessions.
The International and C Stegemann both want to talk the Union into offering to give things up. I will remind you of your last contract. The Union tendered a 2% (TWO PERCENT) and they ended up at 6.5% and lost their fourth week of vacation.
The International just wants the members to keep paying their per capita. This keeps the FAT CATS FED. Once the scale committee puts something on the table, both the International and the company scream REGRESSIVE BARGING if you try to pull it back. The company is just waiting for the scale committee to start down this path of offering to take a pay cut.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Well C. Stegemann wants to continue to negotiate the way they did last time. That is a losing proposition. I and
many other propose the Union tell the company to go ahead and post conditions. We can then do a strike and or many other things to bring the stock down. If the Union is ever going to fight, many of us believe now is the time. We believe that in three years that the entire plant will be outsourced. So you might as well fight for your conditions and wages now. Take a pay cut and trying save up some extra money will be almost impossible. Not to mention should you go out sick on less wages, you will be bankrupt.
ReplyDeleteThe smartest two things that the Union can do is to suspend C. Stegemann as Union president for lying to the scale committee and the membership. She claimed the International demanded to be here and the scale committee voted not to have International involvement. R. Lacey admitted that she called them and asked them to assist.
The 2nd thing is to stop any International assistance in negotiations, unless you want to lose everything.
I would imagine that at this special Union meeting R. Lacey will be telling
I would imagine that at this special Union meeting R. Lacey will be telling you that he doesn’t like it but in his opinion make the best deal you can. They will be trying to scare you of posted conditions to motivate you to take a pay cut. They will also try to feed you a lot of bull about decertifying also to protect their per capita.
Something else to consider is company just cut a lot of shifts. Just imagine how much worse your life will be with a pay cut and less time off and less options for shifts to work. Part of what you get paid for is the quality of your life, we work night’s holiday
Something else to consider is company just cut a lot of shifts. Just imagine how much worse your life will be with a pay cut and less time off and less options for shifts to work. Part of what you get paid for is the quality of your life, we work nights holidays and weekends.
Just one last thing, if you are truly a Union minded person, know this, what you give up in Phoenix will be used against everyone else out there that works for Gannett.
Dude, no one cares. You are just spewing Internet diarrhea now.
ReplyDeleteRE: the above Phoenix union posts. You bozos plagiarized YOUR OWN POST from a few days ago. At least freshen up the copy a bit. The last couple posts play like Special Orders after hours on C-SPAN. Which are practically scripted colloquies.
ReplyDeleteDo you allow this sort of thing, Jim?