Monday, March 23, 2009

Lexington H-L cuts 15 pct of work force


LEXINGTON, KY -- The Lexington Herald-Leader has cut 15 percent of its workforce as 49 full-time and 4 part-time employees were laid-off Monday morning.

"That alone is really tough to deal with, but when that's the fifth round of lay-offs or buy-outs in under a year – our first round of this started last May – to lose that many people in that short of time has just been excruciating," said Scott Sloan, area chief steward for the Lexington Newspaper Guild, a unit of the Communications Workers of America Local 3372.

Sloan lost 14 of his fellow newsroom guild members as a part of the cut back today. Last week negotiations between the guild and Herald-Leader management allowed for the 14 guild covered workers to be let go by accepting 5 percent wage cuts and a possible five day furlough. Had the guild not accepted those concessions, 19 of their employees would have been terminated today.

The same 5 percent wage cut has been extended to the rest of the Herald-Leader staff making between $25,000 and $100,000. Those at or above the six-figure mark will receive 10 percent wage cuts.

On top to of the lay-off announcements Editor Linda Austin, who has been at the helm of the paper for about 24-months, announced she was leaving to take a job at a university. Which university or position is yet to be announced.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Poor Lexington...

I really do not have sympathy for any of these companies or employees. Management and ownership has failed everyone. As for news reporters writing objectively, is anyone thinking objectively about these layoffs?