Pressman Steve Grant's Goodbye

Edward with Steve Grant (pictured at the right)

According to the mainstream media the only employees affected by the mass layoffs in the newspaper industry are writers, well this isn’t the complete story as many men and women producing newspapers in departments other than editorial are also being displaced. Thirty-one year Los Angeles Times employee Steve Grant is but one of many to be let go at the Los Angeles Times in April, which Ronnie Pineda has publicized on his blog “Save Our Trade”.

Below is Steve Grant’s farewell letter:

Hey partners,

Funny, I don't feel much like a partner.That's because I'm one of the 63 presspeople getting laid off. After 31 years with the company I've been given my walking papers starting April 6.09

I started when I was 18 years old.My stepfather was a truck driver for the Times.He told me "I'll get you in the door, but after that it's up to you".I can walk away being proud of the job I've done.I always looked forward to the proud day when at 58 years old I could brag about being a 40 year employee.That's not going to happen now.


It's 4:00 am and I'm scribbling notes on paper before I sit down to the computer later and "peck" this in.I slept in late this morning.I've lately been waking up at 1:30 am and unable to go back to sleep with all the things on my mind.I'm out on disability after having surgery on my foot.I kept working thinking the problem would go away but the doctor said it wouldn't and would get worse.Now they are concerned about my blood pressure.Losing my job,having surgery,the proposed lousy severance,and lack of a plan for the future.No wonder it's high.
How about you Russ? You losing any sleep? How's your blood pressure partner?

I would've thought telling the story over and over again to my relatives,friends,neighbors and others would make it easier.But it doesn't.Luckily I have a supportive wife and family that look forward to the next chapter in our lives.Hopefully it doesn't involve working nights,weekends,holidays and driving 40 miles one way to work.

How about you Russ? When you tell the story about how your screwing 63 employees out of their severance over and over again does it make it easier to do partner?

Tribune co. is now employee owned.Sam Zell said "were partners". Where's Sam? I read somewhere that the bankruptcy judge gave the OK for bonus money for Tribune management deserved prior to bankruptcy. If they did such a fine job then why are we in bankruptcy? Hope all you partners didn't feel guilty about depositing those bonus checks into your bank accounts. I'll bet the total amount for those bonuses equals the total amount of severance your Not giving to the 63 presspeople.

How come most of my fellow pressroom employees that are not leaving are so quiet? Don't think that whatever happens to us won't happen to you next.Did Russ whisper in your ears" Don't worry. Next time there is a layoff you'll get the same severance as everyone else. We just want to screw these 63 employees. Promise". Have any of you thought about if management would have announced a better severance,they would have a mass exodus from higher seniority people? That would have enabled some of the 63 "pro union" people to stay? This is managements way of "busting" the union. Pretty smart partners.

Thirty one years. Seventeen years in Transportation and fourteen in the pressroom.Time sure went fast.I've always let my work speak for itself and I've always been a firm believer that if I do good things, good thinks will happen.The only thing that is fair is to give us what everyone else is getting. After all we are partners right?

In closing I'd like to thank the Los Angeles Times for the job that I loved and the opportunities that it provided. I'd like to thank all my friends and coworkers that helped me become the person that I am and the worker that I was. It was a partnership in life that I will forever be grateful for.


Thanks
Steve Grant
O.C. Pressroom Operator

SOURCE: Ronnie Pineda