gannett plans to layoff 3,000 by december.

I have to think that the profit numbers between 2007 and 2008 are significantly different.

 

I've got a bunch of friends at a certain Gannett paper who are worried today is D-day for them. Haven't heard anything yet.

 

Has anyone heard anything today?

 

Typically, these things happen at the end of the work week.

 

That's what I thought. Might just be paranoia. Well-founded paranoia.

 

Mine went down at 3 p.m. on a Friday.

"Oh, you know the buyout that's supposed to kick in three months from now that you have us agreeing to in writing? We're going to make it effective immediately."

When I got off the phone, I tried to log in to my work email and was already blocked out.

 

That sucks. Do you have a copy of the written agreement? I'm wondering about the legality of breaking said agreement.

 

Mizzou, they should have had to pay you for those three months and THEN have your buyout kick in. I know of places that told people they would work till end of pay period, then decided to push them out right away and paid the extra 3, 4 or 8 days anyway. Yours was the same thing, just longer, sounds like.

 

I don't want to hijack this thread when I know my own deal is a few pages back, but I hired an attorney and we split the difference. That was also part of the reason I got the bulk payments and extra benefits time...

 

OK then.
Fuck that place.

 

It's started.

I've gotten one e-mail and one call in the last hour from friends at two Gannett shops letting me know, as one put it, they've been put on "irrevocable waivers."

I feel very shitty right now, and I can't even fathom how bad they're hurting right now.

 

Gannett Blog gives some idea of how things are going:

R-r-r-ing! More layoffs by phone, readers say
<a href="http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/roll-call-iii-say-goodbye-to-more-of.html">Roll call III: Say goodbye to more of your friends</a>
<blockquote>(Updated.) Another reader just reported they were laid off over the telephone, in a comment that followed similar reports from a handful of other readers. Without identifying the state where they work, Anonymous@8:24 p.m. writes: "Just got a call from my manager. I am being laid off tomorrow and will be compensated for my time here, quite generously, but tomorrow we are letting go about 22 individuals. I feel relieved and sad."</blockquote>
<blockquote>Yesterday, Anonymous@6:51 p.m. commented: "I am on the East Coast and am a manager and was just called tonight and told I will be terminated, but will still have to do some work before I can leave. My official (last) day is Dec. 19, and then I get my severance. I also have to sit with HR to fire the rest of my team. BTW, my entire group is going. Apparently, they have to start early so they can accomplish all this by mid-week."</blockquote>
That second item is just awful. Hopefully, some karma will arrive on the desk of the manager(s) who came up with that idea.