Monday, March 01, 2010

Urgent: Gannett newspaper wage freeze said lifted

Anonymous@4:47 p.m. has just posted what they say is a memo sent today to U.S. newspaper division employees, as follows; I have not confirmed the authenticity of this message, however, so please treat it with caution.

March 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

Can anyone confirm this -- or add details? Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

17 comments:

  1. It's true. We got the note in Phoenix at 2:38PM.

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  2. We didn't get anything like that here in Indy

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  3. I received this as well.

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  4. Nothing in Louisiana.

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  5. Headline Awkward Written

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  6. Worse than last week's Gannett "inks" deal headline?

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  7. My source confirmed this was going to happen the day after McClatchy rescinded theirs. But it's nice to see it "official."

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  8. Strange. I must have received the first draft.
    It reads a little different:

    March 1, 2010
    To: All US Community Publishing employees
    From: Bob Dickey

    Due to the fact that if we got rid of any more of you we wouldn't be able to publish our newsletters, I mean newspapers, I am very pleased to let you know that we are lifting the USCP wage freeze, effective April 1.

    Thanks to the outstanding bloodletting across our division, we have been able to continue gutting our staffs, making due with unpaid interns, still selling ads to the same fools who don't know any better, and are tracking just like any business using such a failed model.
    .
    Going forward, we will get back into the normal review cycle where executives will be eligible for seven-figure bonuses and the fungible assets (employees) will be eligible for 2% raises based, as always, on whose hiney they're smooching.

    You all have done a great job not spending money on growing the business this year and I sincerely thank you for all of your sacrifices. As always, please feel free to email me with any questions or ideas about our business, and I'll try to respond between golf junkets. My email address is dick@gannett.com.

    Regards,

    Bob

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  9. Got it in Shreveport this afternoon.

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  10. good news is that there's no more pay freeze, bad news is we won't be here to enjoy it.

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  11. got it yesterday afternoon in AVL

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  12. Priceless 9:22 PM
    Thanks for the laugh.

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  13. Wage freeze lifted, but no mention of whether furloughs and/or layoffs will continue.

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  14. Boy, I can't wait for my next raise ... in 2011.

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  15. We got the email at APP yesterday, but some of us were told yesterday that "unfortunately, we don't have a position for you right now". Will I get the raise in my continuance pay? hahaha

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  16. Anonymous said...

    We got the email at APP yesterday, but some of us were told yesterday that "unfortunately, we don't have a position for you right now". Will I get the raise in my continuance pay? hahaha
    3/02/2010 1:07 PM

    Classic, lift the wage freeze and then turn around and make you reapply for your job. And by the way, sorry you are out the first week of April. Miserable Gannett.

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  17. This is hilarious!!! We were told this does not pertain to us, but we are probably the only division making this company money. I am so glad to hear the dip-shit CEO took a pay cut this past year.. My electric went up 30%, my real-estate taxes went up 3%, fuel oil went up 7% and my 401K took a 21% dive into the shitter. Our CEO took a 30% pay cut which adds up to what, millions? Even if we get a 3% raise this year, it will take me until I am 65 1/2 years old to see a difference. Oh wait, thats when I should be retiring, but won't be able to. Thank you to all the CEO's of this rich nation to make us poorer and them be able to afford that beach house in the Hamptons. Its so ridiculous!!!!

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