Posted on 03/06/2008 8:53:24 PM PST by LdSentinal
There is a shake-up at the Duluth News Tribune. The Duluth newspaper is downsizing, and will do it by cutting staff as much as 10 to 15 percent. Union members of the newspaper staff got a memo today, alerting them of the company's intention.
The memo says the company needs to cut workers because of falling revenue, and to offset the problem, the company will first offer voluntary buy-outs. Then, if necessary, they'll resort to layoffs.
According to the President of the Lake Superior Newspaper Guild, the memo was sent to 140 of its members at the Tribune, warning them that the troubles seen at other newspapers are about to hit home.
Steve McLister, Publisher of the Duluth News Tribune, says the paper has about 220 employees. He says between fifteen and thirty employees could be cut.
Union President Peter Passi, also an employee at the Duluth News Tribune, says they learned of the cutbacks yesterday during contract negotiations. He says he is unaware of an exact timeline, but buyouts could begin in as little as two weeks.
McLister told Eyewitness News that the cutbacks won't just effect Guild members; they could happen anywhere in the building.
Passi says many of the union members were surprised at the news, particularly at how many employees the company wants to cut. He says they're already tightly staffed. He hopes enough employees will accept the buyout offers, so there won't have to be any layoffs.
Forum Communications, which owns the newspaper, did not return calls for comment.
This is a shame. /sarc
On the positive side, it will be much easier to get a good parking spot for the employees left after the cuts.
The sweet sight of the death of a thousand cuts.
Yeah, funny how it all goes bad in commie country.......
Oddly enough I was thinking of the times I have to buy a paper and came up with very few instances. All involve not having a free wireless connection available, which is increasingly rare. Here is my list of times I would have to buy a paper.
1. Stuck in an airport.
2. Stuck at a train station
3. Stuck in an extremely boring ballet/opera/musical(are there any other kind?).....
4. Having trouble thinking of another.
5. Stuck in a public restroom....
Which is a little bit like saying I want to be the best ice hockey player on Guam. :)
It could happen!
We have hockey in West Texas! :D
Yeah. Unions are always surprised when they drive the employer out of business.
Eh ?
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