Inside Out talks about the Flint Journal's new edition.
And another post about the new Saginaw, Bay City and Midland product.
Ran into a newspaper route driver recently who complained to me that the little bit of money he makes from the newsstand sales for the Tuesday edition is not enough to really make the trip to Clio or Flint worthwhile to pick up the papers and deliver them to the outlets.
Not sure if this is true or not, but the driver said they no longer receive mileage for the drive in to pick up the papers. He told me he's making about 1/3 of what he used to at the company.
It's a hard way to make a living anyway, so I feel for the drivers.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
The Flint Journal got rid of the union contract drivers. Now they can take advantage of the drivers and pay them peanuts. There making money, if they weren't they wouldn't stay in business here. they just want to make more money than they did before....they can never get enough. These people are very anti union......
Hey Jim we're coming close to the one year mark for the last major layoff at the journal. Anyway you can find out how many of the people who left the paepr in the last two years have found jobs and what percentage of pay loss they had to take for those jobs? How about if anybody lost their house or had to sell short? I talked to a former employee the other day who is working two part-time jobs now. This employee has two kids in college and with the two part time jobs together makes less than than 1/3 of what that employee made at The Journal. The employee had more than 23 years there and was part of the newsroom. The Journal isn't responsible for what happens afater people leave, but what a shame to give your heart and soul to a company that ends up treating you like crap.
Yes, I would like to know the answer to that question, as well.
That way, we can know for sure whether we need to continue to fret over the fate of these FJ casualties, or whether most all of them have recovered surprisingly well. I doubt the latter scenario is the reality, but until someone actually provides a factual list or rundown, all we can do is speculate and assume. If, in fact, 95% or 99% of the laid-off workers have found other gainful employment, perhaps that would or should soften some of the edgy chatter and enmity on this blog. Again, I doubt that many have recovered fully, with jobs at least similar to what they had at the FJ. And for those who were laid off, even if they have gotten back on their two feet again, that doesn't mean they aren't justified in still holding the FJ in low regard for what happened and the way it happened. Still, why not provide a list if one is available? The FJ certainlyy has chronicled those fired and laid off at various public and private enterprises for years, often listing their names in the paper and many times with their photos, too. I know the paper would refuse to provide such a list, which would be quite ironic and hypocritical.
I think everybody is aware of who got canned. In all fairness, why in the world would the paper keep a list of former employees who got new jobs? Do other employers do that?
I glanced at the "Please, Midland! Support Us!" thing last week -- there were a few sitting on the counter at a local McDonald's. It reminded me of the TMC products the papers used to have that were thrown in the driveways of non-subscribers.
One page was complete, total text. All that software, that MAN Roland press, a couple of days to lay the thing out, and you still turn out a page that looks like the legal posting for this week's confiscated weapons sale in Saginaw County.
Everyone may know who got canned, as you say, but even assuming you're correct, the point of the post was to get to the bottom of who is back on their own two feet, whether it be in newspapers or not. No one asked for an official list from the FJ. What my post said was that the FJ would refuse to release such a list, even if it had one. No, the idea was that bloggers in the know, such as Jim and maybe some of his blog subscribers, might combine their knowledge to create a list. I guess I doubt a list will ever be forthcoming because of concerns it might trample someone's privacy rights, although, hey, it's not as if we're publishing a list of serial killers. The folks on our list did nothing wrong except happen to work at the FJ at the wrong time. Still, my curiosity remains and, by the way, the blog Inside Out sure seems to have no problem discussing personnel moves at the FJ and other papers. I know, I know, then why don't I ask Inside Out for such a list? Hey, the idea was raised on this blog so I echoed my interest in it.
I delivered papers briefly for a weekly paper. After getting my $70 paycheck I subtracted the 30% I'd have to withhold for tax purposes, the $20 I'd have to pay my son for helping me, money for gas and vehicle upkeep, paying myself. At the end, I realized I was not only NOT making money, I was also losing it. Especially since there was no mileage reimbursement.
Unlike delivering pizzas, you don't get tips from customers.
Let's see if we can name them. Imaging department, gone (gosh remember when photos were toned by people instead of an "auto" button). Award winning design team, gone. Award winning photography department dessimated, including photo editor. Marketing department gone. Artists, backshop, assistant metro editors. The whole features department which included People section and Entertainer (foodie guy is part-time and already retired), Display advertising assistants, gone. Classified advertising closed. Bookkeeping, empty. Circulation, eliminated. PDC mostly empty. Anybody else got something to add? So where are these people and what are they doing? Maybe 1/3 of those who left were not good employees, but the vast majority were devoted to that paper and long-term employees who expected to retire. What a lousy shame.
cripes, with that many people gone no wonder they are finally making money. They cut the paper, cut the talent, cut the budget, they should be raking in the dough these days. I just counted how many in my circle stopped taking the paper. I'm one person and in my own family, parents, one motherinlaw, two aunts (with husbands), three uncles (two married, one not), my two brothers and probably about half a dozen close friends all stopped taking the paper. A few buy Sunday for the ads, but every one hates the paper and no longer pays for it. I'm just one person and that's how far the ripples go.
Like it or not; the internet is killing newspapers , radio ,and T.V. I really think this company is doing what they can to survive for the moment. Once all the advertising has dried up everyone will be on the street and will most likely have to leave with nothing. GO BACK TO SCHOOL!!
"Go Back to School!" Great advice, problem is I'm older than 55, had more than 35 year in newspaper work, but not enough at the newspaper that laid me off to qualify for retirement. My wife worked part-time, my kids are grown, but we bought a new house just about 5 years before the layoff. big mortgage, under water and I'm never going to find a job that pays what i was making. The problem is I can't find a job that pays a decent amount. I'm either too qualified or too old (although nobody ever says it). The old becomes obvious when 25 and 30 year olds are hired instead. Perfectly qualified people, and ready to start their careers. The problem is, I wasn't ready to end mine. Tell me who needs a polished professional writer with seasoned interview skills and a couple of awards as well as a general studies degree from 1974.
Much empathy here. I am in my mid forty's and have worked for the paper better than half my life. If I would have known they did not mean it when they said I had a job for life I would have continued my education. Just don't give up. Age is nothing but a number and some employers do realize that.
Post a Comment