The pressroom was notified on November 1st that eighteen colleagues would be terminated, to be replaced by eight part-time employees. No word on the fate of our pressroom supervisors, but their feeling the pinch as well with uncertainty hanging over their heads.
Russ Stanton, editor of the Los Angeles Times, held a meeting on November 2nd announcing the merger of sections of the newspaper with ten to twenty employees to be let go.
Yesterday November 3rd five district managers of circulation were given their pink slips as the newspaper consolidates the delivery of the newspaper. Here in San Dimas my Los Angeles Times is delivered with the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, sometimes in the same plastic bag. The Ventura Star will assume delivery of the Los Angeles Times this Sunday.
Can anyone tell me how many employees are currently working at the Los Angeles Times?
I hope we can make it through Friday with no further bad news.
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11 comments:
Where's Ronnie?
WOW! Full time pressmen being replaced by part-timers. I never would have thought it would come to this. I thought there was some kind of protection in the union contract, what was in the contract anyway?
Hope everyone on Spring Street who got a bonus from the judge in the Tribune bankruptcy enjoys their new toys while working people are telling their kids there's no Christmas this year. They should all be ashamed. But they aren't.
Where I've always been, don't you read our blog? I'm always on the front line, in the fight, if you were involved you would know that.
On October,19 Otay Mesa, at the Tijuana border Press Conference opposing unsafe Mexican trucks from entering the U.S. under the job killing NAFTA agreement. Doing my part to preserve the jobs of fellow American Truck Drivers and to ensure the safety of all American citizens traveling U.S. Highways.
A week later, I represented our Local at a rally in San Pedro supporting our Teamster brothers and Sisters that work as Toll Drivers at the Port of Los Angeles seeking collective bargaining rights from their Australian owned company.
If we had an "ANONYMOUS" Army this Union would be invincible!
I'm starting PA, Pressmen"s Anonymous, Hello, My name is Ronnie and I'm a TEAMSTER,
I haven't trusted management since 2002.
O.K. in response to the comment and question regarding the contract.
Part time employees aren't replacing full time employees and they won't be in this new contract language. There was protection in the former contract, it expired at the end of June.
New Part-Time language was bargained and the details of the negotiations regarding part-time will be revealed in full to the members and the members will vote on the future of part-time employees in our shop.
Local 140-N Members will ratify or reject what has been negotiated; they and only they will determine what direction our Local decides to move in and what is ratified in the future CBA.
Right Here Ronnie!
President,
GCC/IBT 140N
so sad the direction L.A.Times has taken since sam zell entered picture..at least the Chandlers cared about their workers that made the paper into what it WAS..so sad upper level management have GREED in their hearts and no concern for the (so-called)little guy !
In all these negiotiations is there any language about a "small" severance package for the ones that are counting on unemployement? As we speak!!
Yes we are negotiating severance language. We had severance language to bargain in the first contract but the bankruptcy announcement railroaded that proposal, along with others from ever hitting the table.
Not this time.
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President Ronnie said, "...Yes we are negotiating severance language..."
In negotiations one gives something to get something. Now you're wanting severance, what are you planning to give up?
President Ronnie also said, "...We had severance language to bargain in the first contract but..."
Must have been some pretty crappy language Mr. President.
Grandspud
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Complete my sentence Spud, don't half quote me.
" the bankruptcy announcement railroaded that proposal, along with others from ever hitting the table".
Our original proposals contained language of One week of Severance for each year of service, no cap.
.
But Mr. President,
I read on this blog the "bankruptcy announcement" occurred during the ratification vote? If it took place at that point in time, your negotiations were way over dude.
Pretty lame excuse for anyone but a politician, Mr. President.
Seriously, I'm not anti-union. I'm also not anti-poker, unless the best hand I've ever held in my life was a pair of deuces.
Grandspud
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It was over when we received the companies "Last and Best Offer" prior to the ratification meeting. I know when the Bankruptcy announcement took place, what a coincidence huh?
The company knew they were going to file bankruptcy on December 8, 2008 that is why they rushed a last and best offer.
I think they hoped the previous contract would have been voted down and then they really would have raped everyone in production because everything that was in the previous contract would have disappeared and we would not have gotten anything once bankruptcy was filed had it not been ratified.
Does anyone really believe that Russ would not have whacked wages had we lost our bid for representation?
Spud, you just love to twist and spin everything I say or write so it is my opinion that even if we were to get everything we ask for, YOU would still look for something to criticize.
Now go kiss Russ's ring, your loyalties are obvious!These days you'll be lucky to get a pair of deuces when Tribune has the deck stacked against it's employees!
What are you doing to help the situation Spud?
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