Reaction to BJ's attempt to gut the Guild contract

First reaction on the BJ Alums blog to the Canadian's contract proposal that would gut the Guild contract:

I am stunned reading this.
The quality of work is already suffering. Is this a sign of a merger or closing?
= = = =
How in the world can Karen Lefton represent "the company" in these brutal negotiations? She doesn't remember her roots?
She enjoyed the ample benefits of union membership back in the day, and now, has no appreciation for it.
Thanks, old friend
= = = =
Bill O'Connor said...
I deeply hope that the printers win their lawsuit against the Beacon. It even hurts to say that, because the very word, Beacon, brings such strong feelings of loyalty for me. That said, it's totally unfair, and even naive, for journalists, of all people, to fault Karen for defending the Beacon. She is an attorney and the Beacon is her client. I would expect that she will do all she can to win that case. I would expect her to do the same if she were the printers' attorney. That's our legal system, and, for all its faults, it's the best in the world. When you hire an attorney, you hope to hell the attorney has no hidden agenda and will do what he/she was hired to do. I hope Karen loses this case. I truly do. Either way, I expect her to put up the best fight she can. We covered so many trials as reporters. What we respected about the attorneys, then and now, was not what we felt about the cases, but how well the lawyer fought for the client. So, for Karen, I'll be rooting against you, in this case, but I know I'll be able to admire my former colleague for fighting a good fight.
= = = = = =
John Olesky said:
I attended the initial court hearing on the printers' lawsuit against the BJ over health care and prescription coverage. Brett Bacon, outside counsel from the Cleveland law firm of Frantz Ward, did all the talking for the Beacon Journal. Karen attended, but was not at the defendant's table and did not speak. Let's be fair about this.
= = = = = =


Meanwhile, the retirees are trying to turn back or stop the Canadian's taking away of health care and prescription benefits.

At 3 p.m. Monday the retired printers' lawsuit against the BJ will be heard in Ohio Northern District Court in Akron before Judge David Dowd Jr. It's open to retirees who want to find out how they may get their health care coverage restored to its status before Black Press bought the BJ. I plan to be there.

For the original lawsuit post, go to:

http://bjretirees.blogspot.com/2009/09/retirees-sue-bj-black-press-over-health.html

It seems current BJ employees and BJ retirees are in the same boat, as financial targets of the Canadian.