Guild moves to deal with buyouts

Milwaukee Newspaper Guild leaders are moving swiftly in reaction to today's announcement of a buyout plan at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Newspaper managers announced plans to offer voluntary buyouts to between 35 and 50 employees companywide, limited to workers with 10 or more years of service. But if the buyout plan doesn't attract that many takers, involuntary cuts could be next, Publisher Betsy Brenner said.

Local Guild leaders have already been in contact with The Newspaper Guild's international staff -- including the top international officers -- and with our attorney. Guild representatives will be meeting Wednesday with human resources managers to discuss the issues raised by the buyout offer.

"We are deeply concerned that a reduction in newsroom staff could affect the quality of our newspaper and our online offerings," newly elected Local 51 President Amy Rinard said. "The fewer journalists we have, the less service we can provide to our readers."

Rinard said the Guild is also concerned that the three-week window to decide on the buyout will be too short for people to make life-changing decisions about their jobs, and that the offer as it stands now is "not very enticing" in comparison to what our contract would provide in an involuntary economic downsizing.

Within the newsroom, the buyout would offer two weeks of severance pay for each year of service, plus two months of health care coverage. Other Journal Sentinel employees would get 1.5 weeks of pay for each year of service, plus six months of health care coverage.

In an economic downsizing, the Guild contract requires two weeks of pay for each year of service, plus 60 days' notice or 60 days' pay.

Newsroom workers who have questions about the offer, or who are considering the buyout, should contact their Guild representatives. We will try to get your questions answered and will communicate your concerns to management.

The Guild represents more than 200 newsroom staffers, or between one-quarter and one-fifth of all Journal Sentinel Inc. employees. Our contract runs through Dec. 31, 2008.