Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Open Container: D-News D-Day
Posted By Josh Loftin on August 31, 2010, 7:10 AM
The fate of dozens of Deseret News employees could be announced today.---
A staff meeting has been called at 10 a.m. this morning by CEO and president Clark Gilbert. In a short e-mail sent out this morning, Gilbert wrote:
"We would like to share some of the results of our company-wide analysis with you today. Please join me at 10:00 a.m. today in the newsroom on the seventh floor. Please send me a quick reply to let me know you received this. Thanks."
Some of the people working the night shift Monday received calls just before midnight, telling them to come to the meeting. As one person wrote, "those fuckers don't even give those who are being laid-off 24 hours notice."
For about a week, signs have been pointing to today as the start of whatever is going to happen. The meeting has been rumored but never official, and from a financial standpoint, there are reportedly some executive contracts that kick-in Sept. 1. More importantly, the fact that this meeting was called so quickly and people are apparently required to attend doesn't bode well.
As for what is actually going to happen, I have not confirmed exact numbers or a timeline. The second-hand information I have been told in the past few days, however, has layoffs hovering in the 40 percent range -- and nothing I've heard indicates that the 30 percent "floor" I've previously reported is wrong -- and coming in two stages. If that's the case, the first stage could be focused more on voluntary severance, offered especially to any employees who cannot whole-heartedly support the new mission of the paper.
Keep an eye on the Open Container blog at cityweekly.net. I'll update as I get info.
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