Lynn & Tanika --
Thank you both for your hard work on behalf of Sun employees during this very tough time. Trust me when I say everyone, without exception, appreciates having you in there fighting to keep involuntary layoffs to a mininum and to get the best deal possible for employees who are contemplating taking buyouts.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A Resume Gallery
Some of you have talked about setting up a resume gallery. I think we can easily do this using a very cool website called Scribd.com.
In a nutshell, Scribd easily displays PDF and other text and image files within web documents and blog posts. We can create a public group on Scribd.com for those of us are who job-hunting, ie. "Baltimore Media Professionals Resumes." You upload your resume and it is in a format that you can easily manipulate. Check out the groups page here.
Then, we add a link to the Scribd resume group to this blog. That simple. If this interests you and you support doing this, shoot me an email at gussentementes@gmail.com.
In a nutshell, Scribd easily displays PDF and other text and image files within web documents and blog posts. We can create a public group on Scribd.com for those of us are who job-hunting, ie. "Baltimore Media Professionals Resumes." You upload your resume and it is in a format that you can easily manipulate. Check out the groups page here.
Then, we add a link to the Scribd resume group to this blog. That simple. If this interests you and you support doing this, shoot me an email at gussentementes@gmail.com.
Pension info. from Bill Salganik
Pension projections are available from the Tribune Benefits Services Center, either by phone or online. (The last time I tried, several months ago, the online stuff wasn't working, but maybe it's functioning now. If it's not, that's another good reason to extend the buyout window.) Anyone can find out what they'd get at 65 if they leave now, and if they work 10 more years, 20 more years, whatever.
-- Bill
Unemployment Insurance
Many of you have asked about whether you can still qualify for unemployment insurance if you take the buyout. This is a question worth asking, as it points to the major difference between the buyout package and (layoff) severance benefits. We have asked the company this question several times, and based on their answers, here's the best way I can describe the differences between the two options (I use that term loosely, as a layoff is by no means an option):
BUYOUT: If you take a buyout, you will receive the monetary package offered by the company (1 week for every completed 6 months of service, etc.). You also will receive your health insurance benefits for that same time period, and you are responsible for paying your own premiums quarterly. At one point, we believed you would not receive unemployment, but Ann Barnes, the company's labor relations representative, tells us that is not necessarily true. When other bought-out employees have applied for unemployment, she told us, they have received it, as far as she knows. That is because the company officially reports a buyout as "position elimination," a term that signals to the government that you are entitled to unemployment insurance. Barnes stressed that she can't speak for how the government would respond to all applicants for unemployment, but repeatedly said that she knows of no one in the past who has been denied. There is a cap on how long you can receive unemployment, but I don't know what that cap is. There's also some confusion as to whether you get it while you're still getting Sun money, or if it kicks in afterward. These are things to research if you're considering the buyout.
LAY OFF: If you are laid off, you will receive a paycheck up until the "effective date of the layoff," which -- according to the contract -- is four weeks after you receive your notice. So, if the company sends layoff notices on July 18th, as representatives have suggested they might, the effective date of the layoff is four weeks later, or about Aug. 15th. After that, severance pay kicks in. Severance is calculated roughly the same as the buyout is, that is, 1 week of pay for every completed 6 months of service. You absolutely can apply for unemployment insurance if you are laid off, and in fact, should do so IMMEDIATELY after getting a lay off notice to start the process. We're talking about the government here; swiftness is not a selling point.
You will not be eligible for health insurance continuation if you are laid off, but there is one benefit. Under the contract, the Sun must put all laid off employees on a "recall" list for two years. This means that if the Sun intends to hire another employee in your classification ("reporter," "copy editor," "critic," etc.) they are required to call you and offer you the job first (by order of seniority). For some of you out there, this might be an attractive option.
For both buyouts and layoffs, there are steep tax consequences, so no one should believe that their "paycheck" would be exactly the same as it is now. Please see Lynn's earlier posting to get an idea about the buyout taxes. Layoff taxes, I understand, range from about 40-44 percent.
Lastly, for those of you who weren't able to make it to our mini-meeting after bargaining closed late Friday, the update is that we (the Guild leadership) will meet again at 9:30 a.m. Monday to discuss what we have been hearing from you and where to go next. It is true that the company has set a noon deadline for us to let them know if we will participate in this buyout offer. We will absolutely meet with the company well before that deadline.
Thinking of all of you,
Tanika
BUYOUT: If you take a buyout, you will receive the monetary package offered by the company (1 week for every completed 6 months of service, etc.). You also will receive your health insurance benefits for that same time period, and you are responsible for paying your own premiums quarterly. At one point, we believed you would not receive unemployment, but Ann Barnes, the company's labor relations representative, tells us that is not necessarily true. When other bought-out employees have applied for unemployment, she told us, they have received it, as far as she knows. That is because the company officially reports a buyout as "position elimination," a term that signals to the government that you are entitled to unemployment insurance. Barnes stressed that she can't speak for how the government would respond to all applicants for unemployment, but repeatedly said that she knows of no one in the past who has been denied. There is a cap on how long you can receive unemployment, but I don't know what that cap is. There's also some confusion as to whether you get it while you're still getting Sun money, or if it kicks in afterward. These are things to research if you're considering the buyout.
LAY OFF: If you are laid off, you will receive a paycheck up until the "effective date of the layoff," which -- according to the contract -- is four weeks after you receive your notice. So, if the company sends layoff notices on July 18th, as representatives have suggested they might, the effective date of the layoff is four weeks later, or about Aug. 15th. After that, severance pay kicks in. Severance is calculated roughly the same as the buyout is, that is, 1 week of pay for every completed 6 months of service. You absolutely can apply for unemployment insurance if you are laid off, and in fact, should do so IMMEDIATELY after getting a lay off notice to start the process. We're talking about the government here; swiftness is not a selling point.
You will not be eligible for health insurance continuation if you are laid off, but there is one benefit. Under the contract, the Sun must put all laid off employees on a "recall" list for two years. This means that if the Sun intends to hire another employee in your classification ("reporter," "copy editor," "critic," etc.) they are required to call you and offer you the job first (by order of seniority). For some of you out there, this might be an attractive option.
For both buyouts and layoffs, there are steep tax consequences, so no one should believe that their "paycheck" would be exactly the same as it is now. Please see Lynn's earlier posting to get an idea about the buyout taxes. Layoff taxes, I understand, range from about 40-44 percent.
Lastly, for those of you who weren't able to make it to our mini-meeting after bargaining closed late Friday, the update is that we (the Guild leadership) will meet again at 9:30 a.m. Monday to discuss what we have been hearing from you and where to go next. It is true that the company has set a noon deadline for us to let them know if we will participate in this buyout offer. We will absolutely meet with the company well before that deadline.
Thinking of all of you,
Tanika
Friday, June 27, 2008
Editors are reading...
We created this blog with the intention that everyone could read it. "Everyone" includes people within the company, and the general public. It also includes our bosses. They are reading it, and they will read it, so we should all be mindful of that...we also probably want to be careful as we're negotiating not to say too much about some of the specific points.
I still hope you all will post your questions and concerns, because I think this is a great way to air them. And if our bosses are reading, we know it's one way that we can get their attention.
I still hope you all will post your questions and concerns, because I think this is a great way to air them. And if our bosses are reading, we know it's one way that we can get their attention.
Questions Answered
Hi all,
I have some answers to some of your questions. Please don't hold me to every little detail as things are moving fast and I haven't had time to research everything. Here it goes!
1/ A few years ago the company went from a weekly to a bi-weekly pay schedule. At the time, some existing employees signed a waiver so that they wouldn't be out a week's worth of cash and, as a result, if you did that and you take the buyout, you will be responsible for paying off that debt before you leave The Sun. The money could come out of your buyout payout or you could forego a week of unused vacation. Those who were hired after the change, don't worry!
2/ The amount of your buyout payout will NOT be exactly equivalent to a week's pay after taxes today. There are other taxes that you will need to worry about. Here's a VERY rough calculation: Take your buyout sum based on your years of service and reduce it by about 40percent. That's 20 percent to cover federal supplemental rates, 10 percent for federal and state income taxes (I am guessing here), and 10percent for federal tax returns if you are under 55 years of age. The company's 3 percent bonus will help to cover some of this. And for anyone 55 or older, just consider a bonus. We are also being told that Hewitt will provide detailed financial scenarios for those who are accepted for the buyout. But again, this is AFTER you have been accepted and by then it could be too late to say no. So consider carefully.
3/ There is the possiblity that those who are laidoff would not have to leave immediately. This could be good news for some. Still, even if you stick around, your layoff notice period will stay the same: 4 weeks. After that, your severance pay kicks in.
4/ The health insurance premiums you pay now would continue under the buyout scenario. And if you take the buyout, you would be eligible for COBRA health insurance for 18 months after the end of your buyout period.
5/ If you want to maximize your buyout payout, stop contributions to your 401k account NOW. The sooner the better since it takes a few days for the change to kick in. This could also help to offset taxes you will pay on the buyout payout.
6/ If you are laid off, the company will continue to make contributions to your 401k during the 4-week notice period.
7/ We asked if the company could get rid of those pricy publisher's seats and skybox to save money - and bodies - and were told that the seats and box could be used as incentive for advertisers. Sorry, folks.
Okay, I think those were the main questions. Let me know if you have more.
Otherwise, Tanika and I and the rest of Guild leadership continue to push hard to get you a bigger window to consider the buyout. However, the company is not budging. They still want us to shortchange our colleagues who might be laid off. This boils our blood.
We will keep you posted as negotiations continue. We're still on a noon Monday deadline.
Hang tough!
Lynn and Tanika
I have some answers to some of your questions. Please don't hold me to every little detail as things are moving fast and I haven't had time to research everything. Here it goes!
1/ A few years ago the company went from a weekly to a bi-weekly pay schedule. At the time, some existing employees signed a waiver so that they wouldn't be out a week's worth of cash and, as a result, if you did that and you take the buyout, you will be responsible for paying off that debt before you leave The Sun. The money could come out of your buyout payout or you could forego a week of unused vacation. Those who were hired after the change, don't worry!
2/ The amount of your buyout payout will NOT be exactly equivalent to a week's pay after taxes today. There are other taxes that you will need to worry about. Here's a VERY rough calculation: Take your buyout sum based on your years of service and reduce it by about 40percent. That's 20 percent to cover federal supplemental rates, 10 percent for federal and state income taxes (I am guessing here), and 10percent for federal tax returns if you are under 55 years of age. The company's 3 percent bonus will help to cover some of this. And for anyone 55 or older, just consider a bonus. We are also being told that Hewitt will provide detailed financial scenarios for those who are accepted for the buyout. But again, this is AFTER you have been accepted and by then it could be too late to say no. So consider carefully.
3/ There is the possiblity that those who are laidoff would not have to leave immediately. This could be good news for some. Still, even if you stick around, your layoff notice period will stay the same: 4 weeks. After that, your severance pay kicks in.
4/ The health insurance premiums you pay now would continue under the buyout scenario. And if you take the buyout, you would be eligible for COBRA health insurance for 18 months after the end of your buyout period.
5/ If you want to maximize your buyout payout, stop contributions to your 401k account NOW. The sooner the better since it takes a few days for the change to kick in. This could also help to offset taxes you will pay on the buyout payout.
6/ If you are laid off, the company will continue to make contributions to your 401k during the 4-week notice period.
7/ We asked if the company could get rid of those pricy publisher's seats and skybox to save money - and bodies - and were told that the seats and box could be used as incentive for advertisers. Sorry, folks.
Okay, I think those were the main questions. Let me know if you have more.
Otherwise, Tanika and I and the rest of Guild leadership continue to push hard to get you a bigger window to consider the buyout. However, the company is not budging. They still want us to shortchange our colleagues who might be laid off. This boils our blood.
We will keep you posted as negotiations continue. We're still on a noon Monday deadline.
Hang tough!
Lynn and Tanika
The Sun on the radio
"A community without a newspaper is a community without eyes."
--Tanika White, Maryland Morning radio show, 9:25 a.m. June 27
This morning, Sheilah Kast's show devoted a whole half hour to The Sun. here's the link: http://www.wypr.org/MD_MORNING.html
Forgive me; I don't know yet hwo to embed links on this software...I'll learn.
The show began with a report on the state of things, followed by an interview with Tim franklin in which kast asked him about the "Chinese Wall" between the web site and newspaper and then an interview with Tanika and Lynn, who are amzingly able to regularly appear in the newspaper and do their jobs while simultaneously fighting to help us keep ours.
I am not sure the Tanika quote above is word-for-word, as I was driving to Annapolis when the report came on, but it's close at least....
--Tanika White, Maryland Morning radio show, 9:25 a.m. June 27
This morning, Sheilah Kast's show devoted a whole half hour to The Sun. here's the link: http://www.wypr.org/MD_MORNING.html
Forgive me; I don't know yet hwo to embed links on this software...I'll learn.
The show began with a report on the state of things, followed by an interview with Tim franklin in which kast asked him about the "Chinese Wall" between the web site and newspaper and then an interview with Tanika and Lynn, who are amzingly able to regularly appear in the newspaper and do their jobs while simultaneously fighting to help us keep ours.
I am not sure the Tanika quote above is word-for-word, as I was driving to Annapolis when the report came on, but it's close at least....
Paycheck loan?
A question from one of our reporters:
"Do you recall the "loan" that some of us took from the company to bridge us when we switched to biweekly pay? As I recall, the deal was that we didn't have to pay it back until we left the company. I wonder if some folks have forgotten about this deal, and it might be worth reminder (if my recollection is correct, that is) that that money would need to be paid back, presumably out of any vacation time or whatever else folks might have coming to them."
I didn't remember this detail, but if anyone knows the answer, please chime in.
"Do you recall the "loan" that some of us took from the company to bridge us when we switched to biweekly pay? As I recall, the deal was that we didn't have to pay it back until we left the company. I wonder if some folks have forgotten about this deal, and it might be worth reminder (if my recollection is correct, that is) that that money would need to be paid back, presumably out of any vacation time or whatever else folks might have coming to them."
I didn't remember this detail, but if anyone knows the answer, please chime in.
The Ripple Effects
Just stopped by Nina's for a sandwich and struck up a chat with Jean, the owner. I asked her how she thought another 100 people leaving The Sun would affect her business, at the corner of Calvert and Centre streets, and she just sadly nodded her head.
She said she's already seen big tail-off in biz, with fewer people left at The Sun and those who are, have less and less time for a coffee break.
Presently, she's open for breakfast and lunch. But to make up for lost revenue, she is seriously contemplating staying open for dinner, too.
On my way out, I noticed a few copies of the free B still in the newspaper rack.
She said she's already seen big tail-off in biz, with fewer people left at The Sun and those who are, have less and less time for a coffee break.
Presently, she's open for breakfast and lunch. But to make up for lost revenue, she is seriously contemplating staying open for dinner, too.
On my way out, I noticed a few copies of the free B still in the newspaper rack.
Bargaining Continues
Guild leadership is set to meet with Sun management at 3 p.m. today to discuss the buyout. We are hearing that management wants to have this deal sealed by noon Monday, or else the buyout offer could be pulled off the table.
We don't want to loose the buyout offer for those who might want to take advantage of it, and we certainly don't want to go directly to layoffs.
We hope we can convince management to give us a third week to consider the deal without sacrificing time others might need in case of layoffs.
Hang in there,
Lynn
We don't want to loose the buyout offer for those who might want to take advantage of it, and we certainly don't want to go directly to layoffs.
We hope we can convince management to give us a third week to consider the deal without sacrificing time others might need in case of layoffs.
Hang in there,
Lynn
Buyout Bulletin
June 27, 2008
This week, The Sun announced a voluntary separation plan, otherwise known as a buyout, for all employees. This news was not unexpected, but it still saddened many of us.
One of the saddest things is that we will have to say goodbye to 100 Sun friends, most of them in the newsroom and call center, because the company says that our revenue is in steep decline. We know that another factor is the enormous debt that the Tribune Company took on when Sam Zell purchased the media chain.
Management has made it clear that if these staff cuts can’t be achieved through buyouts, there will be layoffs. However, they have not told us, beyond the vague departments of "Newsroom" and "Classified Call Center," which classifications would be impacted. We also don’t have an exact number of members within classification categories - reporter, copy editor, photographer, etc. - might be impacted within these departments.
Yesterday, Guild leadership met with company representatives to bargain over the terms of the buyout. Our goal is to try to get a buyout package that does the most good for you and your family.
The company has offered:
For everyone but commission sales reps: One week of base pay for every completed six months of service, plus 3% of the buyout cash to offset taxes. This deal also includes full health benefits for that same time period. There is a minimum of six weeks pay and a maximum of 52 weeks pay.
For commission sales reps: The weekly amount used in the incentive benefit calculation will be the rep’s average weekly commissions earned from July 1, 2007 to June 28, 2008.
The company wants to have those who take the buyouts off the payroll and gone from the premises by Aug. 1. They want you to make a decision about whether you want or even can take a buyout by July 11. And they don’t want to give you the opportunity to change your mind. Once you sign, that’s it.
We’re pushing for something MUCH better.
We propose:
Everyone gets 45 days to decide if they want to take the buyout. In fact, we believe this is a matter of law. We believe the company has a legal obligation to give you this time to carefully consider this option. Everyone should also have 7 days to rescind their buyout application should they change their mind.
We are trying to increase the minimums and maximums for the buyout. Meaning that we’d like to have everyone get at least 12 weeks of base pay, regardless of length of service, and at the most 78 weeks of base pay. We think this is fair.
During meetings Thursday, management representatives told us that they would give employees three weeks to consider the buyout if we gave up one week of layoff notice. That means that instead of the four weeks notice guaranteed by our contract, you would only have three weeks notice that you were going to be laid off. We think this is outrageous. And we won’t pit colleagues against colleagues.
We are willing to work this out with The Sun. But management has threatened to go directly to layoffs if we don’t accept their terms.
Next steps:
We are encouraging EVERYONE to send emails to Tim Ryan to ask him why these buyouts have to be completed by Aug. 1. We believe that the date is totally arbitrary and we demand more time for you to weigh your options. Please ask him to reconsider the timeline.
Merit employees - those not in the union - will be receiving their buyout packages today. Don’t be freaked out. We’re still fighting.
In the meantime, please come to us with your ideas, your concerns and anything else that is on your mind. We know this is a very difficult and stressful time.
We have a blog to which we will be posting information. The website is newsofthesun.blogspot.com. Please check it often for updates and feel free to add your thoughts.
Did we cover everything? We hope so. There’s a lot going on. So if you feel like we missed something, call or email us.
Tanika: c/ 410-926-6330 email/ tanikawhite@gmail.com
Lynn: c/ 443-527-4818 email/ lea5128@aol.com
Stay tuned for mobilizing efforts that will be coming SOON!
Tanika White and Lynn Anderson
Unit Co-Chairs
This week, The Sun announced a voluntary separation plan, otherwise known as a buyout, for all employees. This news was not unexpected, but it still saddened many of us.
One of the saddest things is that we will have to say goodbye to 100 Sun friends, most of them in the newsroom and call center, because the company says that our revenue is in steep decline. We know that another factor is the enormous debt that the Tribune Company took on when Sam Zell purchased the media chain.
Management has made it clear that if these staff cuts can’t be achieved through buyouts, there will be layoffs. However, they have not told us, beyond the vague departments of "Newsroom" and "Classified Call Center," which classifications would be impacted. We also don’t have an exact number of members within classification categories - reporter, copy editor, photographer, etc. - might be impacted within these departments.
Yesterday, Guild leadership met with company representatives to bargain over the terms of the buyout. Our goal is to try to get a buyout package that does the most good for you and your family.
The company has offered:
For everyone but commission sales reps: One week of base pay for every completed six months of service, plus 3% of the buyout cash to offset taxes. This deal also includes full health benefits for that same time period. There is a minimum of six weeks pay and a maximum of 52 weeks pay.
For commission sales reps: The weekly amount used in the incentive benefit calculation will be the rep’s average weekly commissions earned from July 1, 2007 to June 28, 2008.
The company wants to have those who take the buyouts off the payroll and gone from the premises by Aug. 1. They want you to make a decision about whether you want or even can take a buyout by July 11. And they don’t want to give you the opportunity to change your mind. Once you sign, that’s it.
We’re pushing for something MUCH better.
We propose:
Everyone gets 45 days to decide if they want to take the buyout. In fact, we believe this is a matter of law. We believe the company has a legal obligation to give you this time to carefully consider this option. Everyone should also have 7 days to rescind their buyout application should they change their mind.
We are trying to increase the minimums and maximums for the buyout. Meaning that we’d like to have everyone get at least 12 weeks of base pay, regardless of length of service, and at the most 78 weeks of base pay. We think this is fair.
During meetings Thursday, management representatives told us that they would give employees three weeks to consider the buyout if we gave up one week of layoff notice. That means that instead of the four weeks notice guaranteed by our contract, you would only have three weeks notice that you were going to be laid off. We think this is outrageous. And we won’t pit colleagues against colleagues.
We are willing to work this out with The Sun. But management has threatened to go directly to layoffs if we don’t accept their terms.
Next steps:
We are encouraging EVERYONE to send emails to Tim Ryan to ask him why these buyouts have to be completed by Aug. 1. We believe that the date is totally arbitrary and we demand more time for you to weigh your options. Please ask him to reconsider the timeline.
Merit employees - those not in the union - will be receiving their buyout packages today. Don’t be freaked out. We’re still fighting.
In the meantime, please come to us with your ideas, your concerns and anything else that is on your mind. We know this is a very difficult and stressful time.
We have a blog to which we will be posting information. The website is newsofthesun.blogspot.com. Please check it often for updates and feel free to add your thoughts.
Did we cover everything? We hope so. There’s a lot going on. So if you feel like we missed something, call or email us.
Tanika: c/ 410-926-6330 email/ tanikawhite@gmail.com
Lynn: c/ 443-527-4818 email/ lea5128@aol.com
Stay tuned for mobilizing efforts that will be coming SOON!
Tanika White and Lynn Anderson
Unit Co-Chairs
The Smart Thing: Letter to Ryan
Dear Tim,
After our meeting on Wednesday it still wasn't clear to me why we are locked into a buyout deadline of July 17th. It's not tied to the fiscal year, so I can only surmise that this date was dictated by Chicago, copying the abbrevi ated timeline used in previous buyouts. As you and Tim Franklin outlined, everything is different today. Following the template of previous buyouts doesn't hold this time around, not when we are facing layoffs on a scale that have never been experienced at The Sun before.
Unless the company really prefers layoffs to buyouts, it is counterproductive to offer a buyout window of only two weeks. Trying to find a job in such a short time frame, in the middle of summer when the person who will make the decision on your hire is probably on vacation, is unrealistic. For every week that the deadline to accept a buyout is extended, the number of applicants will increase. I believe it is in your power to minimize layoffs by offering a reasonable extension on the buyout deadline that will benefit both sides.
It is the decent thing to do. It is the honorable thing to do for the dedicated employees at The Sun. It is the smart thing to do.
Sincerely,
Amy Davis (21 year employee, News Photo Dept.)
After our meeting on Wednesday it still wasn't clear to me why we are locked into a buyout deadline of July 17th. It's not tied to the fiscal year, so I can only surmise that this date was dictated by Chicago, copying the abbrevi ated timeline used in previous buyouts. As you and Tim Franklin outlined, everything is different today. Following the template of previous buyouts doesn't hold this time around, not when we are facing layoffs on a scale that have never been experienced at The Sun before.
Unless the company really prefers layoffs to buyouts, it is counterproductive to offer a buyout window of only two weeks. Trying to find a job in such a short time frame, in the middle of summer when the person who will make the decision on your hire is probably on vacation, is unrealistic. For every week that the deadline to accept a buyout is extended, the number of applicants will increase. I believe it is in your power to minimize layoffs by offering a reasonable extension on the buyout deadline that will benefit both sides.
It is the decent thing to do. It is the honorable thing to do for the dedicated employees at The Sun. It is the smart thing to do.
Sincerely,
Amy Davis (21 year employee, News Photo Dept.)
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Keeping Positive
Don't know about you, but one way I deal with a stressful situation is pretend I'm MacGyver and try to build some gadget that helps get us out of a jam.
I can't find my duct tape at the moment, so this time around, it's a journo-jobs resource blog for current Sun journalists, specifically those who fear layoffs or are anxious about life after a buyout. This blog is called Baltimore Journalism Job Hunt (at baltimorejournalismjobs.blogspot.com.)
We can keep it as a space where everyone can come peruse useful information that will help you live your life beyond The Sun. While discussion about the buyout/layoff/Guild updates can stay more focused here on this blog.
It is a private blog, which means that myself and other admins (currently Dan Thanh, though I'm seeking a few more volunteers) can invite you to it only, and you can freely post comments. I am weary of making this a publicly accessible blog... for now. Though I expect to go public with it some time in the not-so-distant future. :-)
This is what you'll find on the blog, and I hope you all can help contribute links and content:
1) Links to local multimedia training programs.
2) Growing number of job RSS feeds.
3) Local lawyers you can call in a jam if you feel Trib is seriously not doing right by you.
4) Relevant articles and video pertaining to our job needs.
5) A poll on whether you will take the buyout.
More on this poll: As the clock ticks down, most of us will want to know -- well before management does -- how many people will opt for the buyout. If people vote seriously in the next two weeks, we'll have a preliminary gauge of the buyout-to-layoff ratio that could hit the newsroom. A few days early warning can make a difference for some people.
So, it's important to me and others, I think, that when you're ready to cast your vote, you do so. Don't worry -- it's an anonymous vote.
Random idea for Baltimore Journalism Job Hunt:
1) Offer this blog as a closed network for potential employers to advertise their journalism/multimedia/communications/graphic design job openings directly to us. Use our deep talent pool to our advantage. Let the employer come to us. (In the spirit of Lee Abrams... WE, Sun JOURNALISTS, are going to be the new ROCK & ROLL) I have to believe there are many large and small companies across this state that are always looking for media/communications professionals, and they will notice the opportunity to snap up former Sun talent. Why not make it easy for them to find us? :-)
I can't find my duct tape at the moment, so this time around, it's a journo-jobs resource blog for current Sun journalists, specifically those who fear layoffs or are anxious about life after a buyout. This blog is called Baltimore Journalism Job Hunt (at baltimorejournalismjobs.blogspot.com.)
We can keep it as a space where everyone can come peruse useful information that will help you live your life beyond The Sun. While discussion about the buyout/layoff/Guild updates can stay more focused here on this blog.
It is a private blog, which means that myself and other admins (currently Dan Thanh, though I'm seeking a few more volunteers) can invite you to it only, and you can freely post comments. I am weary of making this a publicly accessible blog... for now. Though I expect to go public with it some time in the not-so-distant future. :-)
This is what you'll find on the blog, and I hope you all can help contribute links and content:
1) Links to local multimedia training programs.
2) Growing number of job RSS feeds.
3) Local lawyers you can call in a jam if you feel Trib is seriously not doing right by you.
4) Relevant articles and video pertaining to our job needs.
5) A poll on whether you will take the buyout.
More on this poll: As the clock ticks down, most of us will want to know -- well before management does -- how many people will opt for the buyout. If people vote seriously in the next two weeks, we'll have a preliminary gauge of the buyout-to-layoff ratio that could hit the newsroom. A few days early warning can make a difference for some people.
So, it's important to me and others, I think, that when you're ready to cast your vote, you do so. Don't worry -- it's an anonymous vote.
Random idea for Baltimore Journalism Job Hunt:
1) Offer this blog as a closed network for potential employers to advertise their journalism/multimedia/communications/graphic design job openings directly to us. Use our deep talent pool to our advantage. Let the employer come to us. (In the spirit of Lee Abrams... WE, Sun JOURNALISTS, are going to be the new ROCK & ROLL) I have to believe there are many large and small companies across this state that are always looking for media/communications professionals, and they will notice the opportunity to snap up former Sun talent. Why not make it easy for them to find us? :-)
Why the Blog?
The other day, I got a flat tire on Interstate 895 as I was driving to the Eastern Shore. Somehow, I navigated my lopsided car to a tire shop on Moravia Road, where I waited for the bad news that I was out another $100 (it was my second flat in one week). The other people waiting did not exactly seem gleeful, either. Together, we sat glumly and stared at the television; Maury Povich was showing some video of an angry woman confronting her cheating husband, which he followed up with a video on the life of a teenaged porn star.
Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, the local news came on. Breaking News: Mayor Sheila Dixon has acknowledged she has a relationship with a prominent city contractor who gave her gifts that she never disclosed, despite voting on contracts involving him that were worth millions of dollars. It was, the anchor told us, first reported by the Baltimore Sun, who has been following the story for months.
In the Firestone on Moravia Road, there was a collective gasp. We couldn't believe it. We were riveted. We wanted to know more. And I wanted to shout, "That was us. I work there. We broke that story...well, I didn't, but The Sun did."
You can assemble focus groups all day long, you can print "charticles" and "news you can use" and bioboxes and Hot-Ls, you can require that nothing run longer than 27 inches, but none of that is going to bring readers back to the newspaper. What is going to bring readers in are the stories that only we can do, because of our skills and our contacts and our doggedness and our belief that the public has the right to know them.
In my eight years and two months at The Sun (and yes, every month counts), I have been really fortunate to work with such wonderful people -- veterans whose sources and quick thinking astounded me, young people whose determination inspired me, and colleagues who were/are so darn talented that all I can do is marvel.
No question about it: this is the worst time in my tenure, and likely in many of yours. Some of us are worried about losing our jobs; all of us are worried about losing The Sun we have come to know and love. But we are in the information business, and we will be better for it if we know as much as we can about our own fate.
So this blog is for you: all of the Sun reporters, editors, copy editors, designers, photographers, multimedia gurus and critics who work hard everyday to produce a newspaper of which we can all be so proud.
Use it to ask questions, post comments, share ideas, summarize what happened at the latest meeting, throw out suggestions, put up the latest bulletins, link to job sites. Currently, only a few people have access to put up posts, but everyone can read and comment. It's public and open to everybody.
Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, the local news came on. Breaking News: Mayor Sheila Dixon has acknowledged she has a relationship with a prominent city contractor who gave her gifts that she never disclosed, despite voting on contracts involving him that were worth millions of dollars. It was, the anchor told us, first reported by the Baltimore Sun, who has been following the story for months.
In the Firestone on Moravia Road, there was a collective gasp. We couldn't believe it. We were riveted. We wanted to know more. And I wanted to shout, "That was us. I work there. We broke that story...well, I didn't, but The Sun did."
You can assemble focus groups all day long, you can print "charticles" and "news you can use" and bioboxes and Hot-Ls, you can require that nothing run longer than 27 inches, but none of that is going to bring readers back to the newspaper. What is going to bring readers in are the stories that only we can do, because of our skills and our contacts and our doggedness and our belief that the public has the right to know them.
In my eight years and two months at The Sun (and yes, every month counts), I have been really fortunate to work with such wonderful people -- veterans whose sources and quick thinking astounded me, young people whose determination inspired me, and colleagues who were/are so darn talented that all I can do is marvel.
No question about it: this is the worst time in my tenure, and likely in many of yours. Some of us are worried about losing our jobs; all of us are worried about losing The Sun we have come to know and love. But we are in the information business, and we will be better for it if we know as much as we can about our own fate.
So this blog is for you: all of the Sun reporters, editors, copy editors, designers, photographers, multimedia gurus and critics who work hard everyday to produce a newspaper of which we can all be so proud.
Use it to ask questions, post comments, share ideas, summarize what happened at the latest meeting, throw out suggestions, put up the latest bulletins, link to job sites. Currently, only a few people have access to put up posts, but everyone can read and comment. It's public and open to everybody.
The Wednesday meeting
I know it's old news by now, but if anyone took good notes at the Wednesday meeting and wouldn't mind typing them up and posting them here, it might be useful. I wasn't there, though I got the gist of it. Some of our colleagues will have missed it due to vacations, etc.
August and Everything After
What's so magical about the August deadline for shrinking the staff?
Our union negotiators have tried to get an answer, but haven't been able to -- despite pressing them time and again.
Does it have to do with when the financial quarters end? Does it have something to do with debt payments? Do all the papers have to meet the same targets/dates?
Business reporters, if you have insight, please share...
Our union negotiators have tried to get an answer, but haven't been able to -- despite pressing them time and again.
Does it have to do with when the financial quarters end? Does it have something to do with debt payments? Do all the papers have to meet the same targets/dates?
Business reporters, if you have insight, please share...
Evening Update
Some of us clustered around Lynn and Tanika this evening to hear the latest updates from meetings with management. For those who weren't there, it was more of the same: Lynn and Tanika were pressing them to give us more time to make decisions about buyouts, and the company leaders were saying that they had an August deadline.
They offered this: three weeks to make the buyout decision instead of two, but that would cost us a week on the other end. In other words, they would only give us three weeks' notice if we were laid off.
There seemed to be some confusion as to what happens when you receive a layoff notice: if you continue to work or if you leave the day you are laid off but continue to get paid for three weeks. I wasn't clear on that. But at any rate, our union negotiators are continuing to press to give people more time to make these important, life-changing decisions, and they are seeking our support/feedback to let them know if this is something we would like them to push for.
I'll be out of the office much of the day tomorrow, but will post if I hear anything else...feel free to post a comment if you know something.
They offered this: three weeks to make the buyout decision instead of two, but that would cost us a week on the other end. In other words, they would only give us three weeks' notice if we were laid off.
There seemed to be some confusion as to what happens when you receive a layoff notice: if you continue to work or if you leave the day you are laid off but continue to get paid for three weeks. I wasn't clear on that. But at any rate, our union negotiators are continuing to press to give people more time to make these important, life-changing decisions, and they are seeking our support/feedback to let them know if this is something we would like them to push for.
I'll be out of the office much of the day tomorrow, but will post if I hear anything else...feel free to post a comment if you know something.
15 percent hits
I learned that Tim Ryan was wrong when he said during the staff meeting, that only 15 percent of the hits on our website were for original content we produce -- implying readers aren't interested in our work.
Here's what is actually the case: That 15 percent of stories he is talking about that get "hits" is only counting the hits on articles as they appeared in the print edition. Any updates for the web, any web posts before the physical paper is printed aren't included in the 15 percent figure And, of course, they are constantly moving trivial items up on the web page just because they are fresher news, which means there is that much chance for people to find and hit on print edition articles.
I have this on good authority from a Web manager, who said Ryan micharacterized it. Trouble is, I think that's what the publisher believes to be the case and it is probably shaping some of their stupid decision making.
Here's what is actually the case: That 15 percent of stories he is talking about that get "hits" is only counting the hits on articles as they appeared in the print edition. Any updates for the web, any web posts before the physical paper is printed aren't included in the 15 percent figure And, of course, they are constantly moving trivial items up on the web page just because they are fresher news, which means there is that much chance for people to find and hit on print edition articles.
I have this on good authority from a Web manager, who said Ryan micharacterized it. Trouble is, I think that's what the publisher believes to be the case and it is probably shaping some of their stupid decision making.
Health Benefits
Do we know yet how long we can carry health care benefits if we accept a buyout and on what terms/conditions?
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