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Crosscut.com says the Maine sale doesn’t solve pension problem

The latest from Crosscut.com’s Blethen Death Watch Beat Reporter Bill Richards says that The Seattle Times Co. had to retain the obligation to fund the pension plans for their newspaper employees in Maine and Walla Walla. The two groups are in a merged pension trust. Of course, every pension plan in America is underfunded since the market tanked in October 2008. It’s a problem that goes... [Read more]

Wolves finally at the door of The Herald

Unlike other newspapers in the region, The Herald in Everett has not forced its unaffiliated employees to take mandatory furloughs or, at least so far, pay cuts. And it hasn’t approached its unions, CWA and the Teamsters, for economic concessions. In part, it’s because Publisher Allen Funk doesn’t just pinch a penny; he gets it in a headlock and punches it repeatedly in the face.... [Read more]

Free At Last! Done Deal on Sale of Blethen Maine Papers

Big sighs of relief on both coasts as The Seattle Times Company (the seller) and MaineToday Media, Inc. (the buyer) finally got ‘er done. As of yesterday, STC is back to being a strictly-state-of-Washington operation and the former Blethen Maine Newspapers publishing group is now under the direction of new editor and publisher Richard Connor. Actually, relief may be too strong a word. Call it... [Read more]

More furlough for unaffiliated employees at The Seattle Times

A memo put out on Monday by Alayne Fardella, the vice-president of Business Operations at The Seattle Times, says that unaffiliated employees must take another three days of unpaid furlough before the end of the year. Unrepresented employees each took a work week of furlough earlier this year. Guild-represented employees will take a work week of furlough by the end of this year. In the memo, Fardella... [Read more]

Sign of a successful sale: Sackings begin!

Looks like the sale of the Blethen’s family newspapers in Maine is finally going through. The Portland Press Herald is reporting that 22 non-union employees have been informed by the incoming owners that their services are no longer needed. As painful as these terminations are, they are a good sign that the Maine sale is truly going to happen. Guild-represented employees in Maine bargained economic... [Read more]

From the Curt and Ron Show, to mo’ cuts

The friendly debate between laid-off Seattle Post-Intelligencer staffer Curt Milton and Seattle Times columnist Ron Judd is interesting under the P-I tribute post. But today, the update is on more concessions. The publisher of the Skagit Valley Herald in Mount Vernon is proposing a pay cut of about 1.4 percent, a wage freeze on a scheduled July 1 increase and a week of furlough from News employees.... [Read more]

You can view the P-I tribute here

Was it a wake? Was it a tribute? Former Guild-member-promoted-to-management Candace Heckman, now among the ranks of those laid-off from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, says it was for the community. The event she organized at Town Hall on June 3 was for subscribers, critics, fans and anyone else who felt a connection with the print P-I before the Hearst Corp. ended its 146-year life, Heckman said. “A... [Read more]

Tribute to the Seattle P-I

The community is invited to share their goodbyes and toast the paper version of the Seattle P-I at Town Hall Seattle (Eighth and Seneca) Wednesday, June 3rd 6:30 to 8 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.). The event is free but reservations are required. Call 206-331-1276 or write to seattlepitribute@gmail.com. The Voice of the Northwest: Remembering 146 years of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer The Seattle... [Read more]

Seattle Times member Rob Davila in Iraq

Rob Davila, a desk editor at The Seattle Times and a Guild Executive Board member, went to Iraq last week as part of a conference of international journalists. Here’s the story from The Newspaper Guild site, until we get the real scoop from Rob himself: Lunzer and Davila attend conference in Baghdad 01 Jun 2009 TNG-CWA President Bernie Lunzer and Guild member Rob Davila joined hundreds of international... [Read more]

The latest from Portland, Maine

Let’s hope this time it’s for real. (click here)  Read More →

Another take on the Times

Bill Richards in Seattle Business Monthly: (click here)  Read More →

Rally to protest California Supreme Court decision

Passing along an invitation from the Martin Luther King County Labor Council, for those who are able to participate: It was announced this morning that the California Supreme Court voted today to uphold Proposition 8. This ruling invalidates marriage equality in California. LGBT couples will now be denied their right to marry in California. There will be a protest rally today at 5:30 p.m. at Westlake... [Read more]

Two events worth your notice

What are you doing Wednesday evening? a. Drinking martinis in my underwear and dancing around the house to Lady Gaga. b. Playing World of Warcraft online with one eye while watching “Jaws III” on demand with the other. c. Casting about for something to fill a couple of hours that will both energize and enlighten me. If you answered C, then we’ve got two great options for you. Option... [Read more]

Networking to get a new job

Losing a newspaper job these days means more than just losing a job. It means finding a new career, and that means networking. Former and current Guild-CWA members are invited to the launch of an initiative to help displaced newspaper employees connect and network their way to new work. You don’t have to be out of work to attend the launch event: 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 20 2900 Eastlake Ave. E.,... [Read more]