Seattle Times Asks Employees: Give Up A Week's Pay

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Times on Friday asked 500 managers and nonunion workers to take a week off without pay in the face of mounting financial troubles at the newspaper.

Executive Editor David Boardman broke the news in a meeting with editors Friday morning.

Employees may take the week off all at once, one day at a time, or in multiple-day blocks, but it must be taken by the end of February, Alayne Fardella, senior vice president for business operations, wrote in a staff memo.

"I regret that we do not have better news for you at this time," Fardella wrote. "It has been and continues to be a long and difficult fight for our survival."

The Times has cut nearly 500 positions in the past year, leaving it with about 1,410 full and part-time employees. Executives have warned that more job cuts could be coming next year, and Fardella wrote in her memo that The Times would be asking for concessions from unions representing the newspaper's workers after Jan. 1.

Fardella cited the frozen credit markets and the effect of the country's economic instability on jobs and consumer spending as factors facing the news industry, which has slashed thousands of jobs in recent months. Circulation and advertising revenue have plummeted at papers around the country.

Seattle Times Co. spokeswoman Jill Mackie said she did not immediately know how much money the company expected to save from the furloughs. Nonunion positions include managers and editors, administrative and finance staff, and workers at the newspaper's Web site.

The Times, the largest newspaper in Washington state, is run by the Blethen family, which holds a 50.5 percent stake in the company. The rest is held by McClatchy Co.

Comments

[Vico]

Though I am concerned about the loss of the daily newspaper to our culture, I cannot help but get some perverse pleasure out of the Times having so much trouble, given its publication of false information about Darcy Burner just before the election, along with its ridiculous editorial endorsing her opponent Dave Reichert. The Seattle Establishment did everything it could to defeat Burner.

[Tom Joad]

"1,410 full and part-time employees" and 500 managers???
I think I know where they can make appropriate cuts...

[JimboSlice]

500 managers AND non-union workers... learn how to read tom, maybe that is why the newspaper business is in the tank. Too many folks like you!

[desthmoneses]

Its kind of funny the Huffington Post is partially responsible for these news papers failing and yet here we are, lol. I

[hilary916]

Oh yeah? Well, starting February 1, I have to give up 2 days of pay for 18 months.

[GerryS]

2 days of pay per? for 18 months?

[timetorevolt]

Maybe if they had done their journalistic duty and expose the crooks in Washington and the boad rooms of corporate America, they wouldn't be going down in flames with rest of us. They were to busy chasing Britney and Paris while the crooks robbed us blind.

[granamica]

Hear hear

[Bariis]

Well-said!

[Pavane]

Yes.

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

Exactly. If the newspapers had - done their job! - by giving us real news, and kept their editorial bias to a minimum, AND kept the Hollywood stuff in a Hollywood column or section, we might consider them a responsible contributor to the community.

[davidwayneosedach]

If that is what it's going to take to keep their jobs I think the employees will be amiable. If there is grave doubt about their future - then the answer should be: "no way."

[Wanjiru]

...aawww hellz naaww!...

.

[andyboy]

The newspapers are no different than the auto industry. They got way too cocky and thought the gravy train was going to run forever. Gotta be lean and mean to survive these days.

[DABAD]

I think the owners of the paper should dip into their personal fortunes and pay their employees' wages for that week. Share the pain.

[Johnjlws]

I worked for a small bottler of coke. A primary shareholder was interviewed by the big city newspaper. In the interview his third trophy wife said he felt bad anytime he had to "lay off even a custodian.­" In the next sentence she talked about their "delightful" Paris excursion. They drove luxury cars, lived in a multimillion house, gave a several million dollar art collection to their city's Museum, and were making millions of dollars a year off our area (they had 3). Before I'd accept this nonsense I'd ask owners to sell any car valued above $30,000 and bring their supply down to 1 per adult. I'd insure they owned 1 sensible home. I'd make sure all the ridiculous collections were sold. Their kids woudl go to public schools and state universities. And, if anyone was going to "Paris," it would be "Paris, Texas." I'd want the books wide open. And, I'd ask for stock in lieu of my week without pay. Otherwise this sort of nonsense is the same old bullshit these guys have been peddling for years: "We're broke. We're having to buy the cheap caviar." Horse manure on the backs of workers who allow them to buy the expensive fish eggs.

[schatsie]

awwww let them eat cake....

[Danny]

You sound like one of them "populists", John. Do you listen to Thom Hartmann on Air America? Thought so. We will overcome if we do not demonize the rich but make sure that we return to pre-Reagan tax rates. So that executives' pay is aligned to those of the other (European) democracies. For instance making sure that a CEO earns in the U.S. the same percentage of WORKERS 'wages as a CEO in Bangladesh or China or Vietnam, places where our manufacturing jobs have gone to 30 to one as opposed to 90 to one.

[anandakos]

This is for both of you fine folks. I like your ideas but how in the world do you expect to implement them? You and whose army?

The truth is that considerably more than half the country will fight -- bloodily -- for the rights of owners to exploit them, because they believe that they will be owners tomorrow. Socio-economic research shows that they're living in a dream world, but they have most of the guns, and they blame people like us for the economic downturn.

You do not want social mayhem in a country where people are as selfish and well-armed as are contemporary Americans. We've had thirty years of "the end justifies the means" and blasphemy like "God wants you to be rich".

Danny's idea of steepening the progressivity of the tax system is a good one and might work over time. But the Democrats in Congress are way too scared -- and on the take -- to try it. Had we adopted publicly funded Congressional elections at the same time that the Presidential matching system was created, things might now be different. But it's way too late.

I predict that at least 25 million Americans will be killed by angry extremists of both sides within the next ten years.

[poochytown]

I live in Seattle and The Seattle Times has not been worth reading (except for the work of in-house illustrator Susan Jouflas, who I fear may be among the terminated) for many years. It may be too late for them and other entities that embrace the culture of under-achievement which pervades this country, but those who can find a way to do their jobs better and offer their clients more have a chance at survival. Maybe that's not a bad thing, once we get past the agony of the next few years.

[andyboy]

Internet killed the newsrag star.

[ElBruce]

As long as they don't expect them to work for that week, that's OK. Sometimes an employer doesn't have 40-hours-a­-week-52-w­eeks-a-yea­r employment to offer.

That said, F the times. The P-I is the paper of record for the area anyways.

[noralou]

as a ormer Seattlite, I agree -- the Post Inteligencer is a much better paper than the Seattle Times.
Unfortunately, that is damning it with faint praise!

[Danny]

There is a new mainstream group that claims to tell us the truth. Let's give them a chance

http://www.propublica.org/site/archives/2008/12/18/

For others there is still

Democracy Now with Amy Goodman, on Dish Network ch 9415

AND

INN world news report, on Dish Network ch 9415

[JLR519]

I lost my job as an engineer in July (automotive Tier 1 supplier to the Big three). It's nearly impossible to find employment in my field and if faced with having to take a week without pay in order to retain my job ... I'd be all for it. Tough times.

[twokidsonecat]

Yes, I see you'd take a week without pay, but sadly I would be concerned these businesses will do it while taking advantage of their employees. I think if they can't afford to pay people, then close down temporarily.