sherrymims.com » layoffs

Retained

Sherry — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 06:12:54 +0000

Calling early this morning, I learned I was retained. I’m relieved to have a job, of course, but I am absolutely crushed that so many talented people had to go. It’s going to be hard.

We reapply for our jobs tomorrow (note to self: bring two forms of ID). I’m hoping there are no more pay cuts.

Waiting

Sherry — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:52:06 +0000

Having to wonder Thursday, Friday, Saturday and today whether we will have jobs after tomorrow is hard. At the 2 p.m. meeting last Wednesday, we were told 10 percent of our nearly 500-person staff would be gone, but in later meetings, they were told 5 percent. I guess we’ll see.

Numerous people said goodbye already, as if they’re sure they’re gone. I hope not. I work with amazing people. Honestly, my co-workers are the best part of the job.

I don’t work on Mondays, so I’ll have to call into the HR department tomorrow. Wish me luck!

HarborPoint

Sherry — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 03:02:06 +0000

The court case reached toward Harbor–HarborPoint that is. Yes, my old employer, owner of The Daily Commercial, will buy The Daytona Beach News-Journal for $20 million.

(Just think, 47.5 percent of the shares were once worth $129 million in 2006.)

Read all about it here: Judge approves sale of News-Journal.

All day tomorrow they’re holding meetings so that everyone can attend one. I’m not quite sure what to expect. Popular theories of life-after-the-takeover have included reapplying for jobs, more pay cuts, different health insurance and/or more layoffs (almost a certainty).

To hedge our bets, some of us on the night desk even pitched in for lottery tickets tonight. I’ll be hoping for the best regardless.

Ludicrous layoffs

Sherry — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:04:44 +0000

On the heels of the “classy” layoffs of three Baltimore Sun reporters and a photographer during a baseball game they were covering in Los Angeles, we have more of the same. (Correction: They were in Baltimore and perhaps trying to postpone the inevitable, but management still shouldn’t have given them the news over the phone IMHO.)

The chain that owns The Ann Arbor News and the Jackson Citizen Patriot offered buyouts and seriously encouraged people to take them. A source tells me that one woman at the Jackson Citizen Patriot, in her 30s, took the buyout, but it is not in effect until June or July. Meanwhile, the company announces plans to HIRE new employees in her department. She marches in to ask if she can stay on, but management turns her down. Apparently, they’re much more inclined to hire people at $26,000 that she will have to train.

No one likes what is happening in the industry right now, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to behave. Happily, there is a silver lining: my source tells me that most of the open positions remain vacant. No one wants to do all that work for so little.

Anyone else have any stories?