Anything from Fort Myers?

[Guest]

Anything from Fort Myers?

[guest]

Fort Myers was suppose to lay off today but haven't heard of anyone or any positions. What do you think?

[Guest]

Just that it's all a bunch of BS. I think they almost take pleasure in it. The wait is so horrible I am almost willing to just sacrafice myself so I don't have to worry about it anymore. I am sure the slackers will star and the really winners will be the ones to get the boot.

[guest]

Just that it's all a bunch of BS. I think they almost take pleasure in it. The wait is so horrible I am almost willing to just sacrafice myself so I don't have to worry about it anymore. I am sure the slackers will star and the really winners will be the ones to get the boot.

I don't think it is BS, I think tomorrow is the day for us. I would like to have an idea as to what dept is going to be affected the most.

[Guest]

I would like to know why a certain person with a manager title & manager salary has no one to manage. Letting this person go would probably save two jobs. Just curious.

[GUEST]

I would like to know why a certain person with a manager title & manager salary has no one to manage. Letting this person go would probably save two jobs. Just curious.

Maybe they will let that manager go. I know a few managers that could be cut loose without any harm done. No cuts I believe were made today. I am sick over this. How many bullets can we dodge?

[Guest]

Don't get me started on managers. I can think of about only 6 that actually produce and care about their employee's. The rest have been skating by for way too long. The sad part is that eveyone knows about it but upper management just doesnt seem to care. Who's the manager that managers no one???

[Guest]

Anyone got any ideas as to what dept's? Anything would help.

[GuEsT]

I would like to know why a certain person with a manager title & manager salary has no one to manage. Letting this person go would probably save two jobs. Just curious.

Maybe they will let that manager go. I know a few managers that could be cut loose without any harm done. No cuts I believe were made today. I am sick over this. How many bullets can we dodge?

Is the first quote referring to L.O.?

[guest]

I would like to know why a certain person with a manager title & manager salary has no one to manage. Letting this person go would probably save two jobs. Just curious.

Maybe they will let that manager go. I know a few managers that could be cut loose without any harm done. No cuts I believe were made today. I am sick over this. How many bullets can we dodge?

Is the first quote referring to L.O.?

No, I wasn't referring to her. I know her but don't know exactly what her work plate holds to say she isn't valuable.

So apparently you are in the adv. dept. Do you think the majority of the cuts will be from adv

[GuEsT]

No not from adv. I have only heard minimal cuts in adv dept, middle management and news. But who knows right???

[guest]

No not from adv. I have only heard minimal cuts in adv dept, middle management and news. But who knows right???

I did hear the same thing BUT 45 people is a lot. I am only guessing about 15 adv. will be cut at least. I didn't hear this from anyone, just my guess. How many do you predict?

[Guest]

I can't see them letting 15 go from adv. Who would be left????

[guest]

I can't see them letting 15 go from adv. Who would be left????

We have graphics, digital reps, ARS's, outside sales reps, national sales reps, inside sales reps, classified reps, sales assistants, managers, etc. Have I missed anyone? I hope not. So, I think a few from graphics, classified, and outside sales perhaps. WHat ya think?

[Guest]

I can't see them letting 15 go from adv. Who would be left????

We have graphics, digital reps, ARS's, outside sales reps, national sales reps, inside sales reps, classified reps, sales assistants, managers, etc. Have I missed anyone? I hope not. So, I think a few from graphics, classified, and outside sales perhaps. WHat ya think?

Since credit dept is gone will they still need our layout dept?

[guest]

I can't see them letting 15 go from adv. Who would be left????

We have graphics, digital reps, ARS's, outside sales reps, national sales reps, inside sales reps, classified reps, sales assistants, managers, etc. Have I missed anyone? I hope not. So, I think a few from graphics, classified, and outside sales perhaps. WHat ya think?

Since credit dept is gone will they still need our layout dept?

I think so. How many do we have total???

[Guest]

I can think of a certain VP who could go and not be missed.

[youneedanewjob]

something? anything from anyone?

[Me]

As you have been told, the current economic picture has made it necessary for The News-Press to once again restructure our business. As a result, as many as 27 employees will have lost their jobs from the elimination of their positions, and several more will be moving into new positions or getting a reduced work schedule. All affected employees have been notified, and the changes take effect immediately.

The restructure includes a lot of operational changes, and I list some of them below:

The way we handle credit and collections has changed completely, effective with our move into Gannett’s Consolidated Credit Center, located in Springfield. Former credit manager Mark Haidet has left the company last week and Ann Palmer has assumed a new role as the local coordinator between The News-Press and the Credit Collections Center.
We’ve reduced our ad operations by a number of people, noting our lower volume of ads overall. We also recognize the need to outsource more ad building work than we currently do.
We have closed our internal printing department and will outsource the work.
We are reorganizing the management of the sales and the marketing departments to concentrate more of our resources toward growing business from local advertisers. The specific changes are too numerous to mention, but anybody interested can attend the advertising division meeting next Tuesday morning.
We are restructuring the business systems side of IT with the departure of our Business Systems Manager, Paula Yates. These positions will report into finance systems manager Wendy Swartz.
We have fewer circulation administration positions, making us more reliant on Gannett’s COE and our remaining managers to manage subscriber calls.
There have been reductions in almost every department, not all of them mentioned above. Because they impact good people, these decisions are very, very difficult. But they are necessary. Too many businesses have failed by not reacting quickly or deeply enough to their economic realities. We refuse to fall into that trap.

I am sure that the question all of you may have is “when does this end?” Clearly, none of us are in the position to see exactly when we will recover. But I can say this: we remain a profitable business, with a stable share of the ad dollar and a growing audience. Most of the expenses we’ve removed will never come back, and we will learn how to operate with a lower cost structure. As the market turns, we will reinvest in sales, marketing and content resources that will only make us stronger. Until then, I thank you for your patience and your understanding.

I also invite you to attend one of the “State of the Company” meetings Wednesday, July 15 at 9 am and 4 pm in the upstairs conference room.

Sincerely,

Carol




Carol Hudler, President & Publisher, The News-Press
President, South Group, Gannett US Community Publishing

[formeremployee]

Yikes. The one word that stands out to me in all that is OUTSOURCE. I hate that word. Thank you for posting that message. As a former employee, I find myself curious about what's going on. Mostly because of all my friends I left behind who are being affected. Does anyone have numbers? I am hearing 5 graphic designers and their manager, 1 HR, 2 maintenance and varied from other departments. This is a sad day indeed. My thoughts are with those of you who were laid off and also to those who must face the day tomorrow with the sad atmosphere of missing friends and colleagues.