You’ve all heard of the half-dozen sweet old ladies at the Star Tribune switchboard let go in … what was that? Round 5? of “right-sizing” (TM: Par Ridder) … then came the end of what was no doubt an outrageously expensive deal paying mentally handicapped people to run errands around the building.
Today’s instant-whackings (they’re gone a week from today) include five of eight tech shop (IT) employees and ten building maintenance employees.
Avista Capital Partners continues to fight for the full employment and splendid compensation of Mr. Ridder.
Here is today’s death knell memo from Strib Guild officers:
THE CUTS CONTINUE: Reports from other unions at the Strib
You see them often — eight savvy techs who help solve computer and other technical problems in the newsroom and elsewhere. Those eight IT workers are members of our CWA local (but not our Star Tribune Guild unit). (Erik Crane may be the IT we see most often in the newsroom.)
Our union learned this week that the publisher is eliminating five of the techs’ jobs. They have until noon Aug. 24 to apply for buyouts similar to those taken recently by newsroom departees. Both those applying and those who may face layoffs if there aren’t enough volunteers will learn their jobs’ fate that very afternoon, and those departing will leave by early September.
Two of their jobs are protected under their contract, and the company apparently will hang onto a third position.
Having been through the cutback mill, we feel for them. And we’re also wondering: Who will we call when tech problems pop up, as they surely will? The answer is unclear.
THEN THERE ARE THE JANITORS…
More cutbacks are also coming in Building Services, we have learned. The company is shooting for 10 buyouts from among the group of Strib maintenance workers represented by the SEIU union. Our friends the janitors tell us that if the company doesn’t get that many buyouts, it is considering forcing people to go part-time, which could mean loss of their benefits.
We feel for them. And again, we wonder — who will do the work if people and hours are cut? We’re checking into reports that some of our fellow Strib unions have been told they’ll be doing their own cleaning after the maintenance cutbacks, and are protesting with grievances.
Which leads us to ask, rhetorically at least: What next?
Your unit officers
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