D-Day Has Arrived At My Shop. Wish Me Luck.

Will you be OK or do you know yet?

 

I don't know yet OTD.

I have no idea where they can cut. Already this month they axed our Real Estate section and its employees (three) and two ad builders (sent to a sister paper) and they moved our classifieds employees to yet another sister last year.

I have no clue where they can find 13 disposable jobs.

A colleague just phoned and we can find about five in a newsroom of 16 union employees (seven news reporters, two sports reporters, two photogs, three deskers, a sports editor and opinions page editor) and four managers.

I know for a fact the opinions page editor is gone. After that? Who knows? Both photogs and we all shoot our own photos? A couple reporters? One manager?

 

Word just came in and I cry as I type this. Many good friends and many great colleagues lost their jobs today. Thirteen people at my paper were let go today. Eleven were union members who work in the newsroom and two were managers. A good friend, whom I suggested apply and work here, was one of them. She said everyone below her in the seniority list was let go. So were two managers. I just did quick math in my head and can only come up with nine names. I may not be safe yet. Although, she said I was safe.

EDIT: Just spoke with my fellow sports reporter. I called and asked "I know it's a gong show in there right now, just give me a yes or no answer, do I still have a job Wednesday?" And he replied "yes, but I can't talk right now."

I just cried and hugged my daughter. I don't wish a day like this upon any of you.

 

Thinking good thoughts for you and for everyone at your shop.

 

Good luck, Pete. Sounds like you're about the only guy left at the place.

 

Clerk. If I'm still there, and details are still sketchy, I'm the last man on the seniority list and am at a slight risk of being bumped. Albeit, VERY slight.

And, as a side note, the fucking HR and management team that brought the axe had the balls to ask all laid off employees to stay on for a month while they transition work from our paper to a sister paper an hour away.

If I were them, I'd tell them to stick it.

 

I know, I know. But I seriously think I'd rather have them scramble for a month, while I go out and look for a job.

 

Chances are that you're in a better financial situation than most of them, Inky.

This was an eery thread. I suspect we'll be having similar actions at my shop in the next six months. I believe this is what my high school English teacher referred to as "foreshadowing."

 

An understandable reaction, but I was in a similiar position at my last gig and took the unofficial severance...and took great, Great, GREAT pride in giving a half-ass effort the rest of the way.

As satisfying as it would be to tell them to fuck off, the reality is you're hurting yourself by heading into the job market any sooner than you have to. Good luck either way. I sure hope you're still employed come Wednesday.

 

I'd suggest that anyone still working in the business to do all of those things. Clean up your desk so you can take everything you need in an instant.

 

Pete--On your daughter's first bday, I hope you only remember how she looked when she picked up a huge hunk of cake and tried to smash it into her mouth.

You can worry tomorrow. Today, just take lots of pictures.