OUTRAGEOUS: Company plans bash at 677 Prime
As Times Union employees wait to hear if they will lose their jobs, their corporate bosses are planning a party at the Capital Region’s most expensive restaurant. The bash is to include free limo rides.
A day after rejecting the Guild’s money-saving proposals, and after telling the union the Company will cut 65 to 70 jobs in the bargaining unit, advertising employees were shocked to learn about the party at 677 Prime planned for April 2. Ad sales people who earned Publisher’s Awards would get limo rides there!
And that’s not all!
On March 19, the Company is planning another event at the Blue Stone Bistro complete with open bar for online sales.
We’re all for our members in sales getting recognized for good work but the Company is living high off the hog while proposing to gut our contract and lay off almost 30 percent of our members.
A better way to help employees feel appreciated is to stop trying to “minimize” their contract and work with the Guild to minimize job losses instead.
4 Comments
Darryl McGrath
To my Guild sisters and brothers in the TU newsroom: I wanted to let you know that members of the Guild at the Buffalo News – my friends and former colleagues – have asked me to convey a message of support and encouragement to all of you. They are going through a similarly tough time, with layoffs and crippling budget cuts looming.
My NYSUT colleagues in the Communications Workers of America; the Professional Staff Association; and the Labor-Religion Coalition of the Capital District also send messages of solidarity, and pledge their support, should you need it in this very painful struggle. They are all disgusted by my accounts of what management is doing to the Times Union employees.
You all have many sympathetic friends in the Capital District labor movement, and people are watching and waiting to see how the TU management handles itself in the coming days. So far, no one is impressed.
I will echo the comments of my former colleagues in Buffalo: Hang in there. Stick together. Your president and executive board are performing heroically under unimaginable circumstances. They certainly have my admiration! – Darryl McGrath
Advertising
Just for clarification – we knew about the dinner a long time ago, we just didn’t know where it was going to be. That is the reward for the very few number of salespeople who managed to show a gain over last year in the many hoops that we need to jump through in one of the toughest economies that we’ve seen in decades. This isn’t the corporate bosses celebrating layoffs. In years past, there have been 150+ people that they treat to a night like this – now it’s 20 – I think that speaks volumes.
advertising2
It is important to note that there are many trade deals that are available to the company—I know for sure that the limousine service is trade and therefore not charging for their services. And I do agree…with the previous post..In 2007 there were over 22 award winners that were invited to a bash that included their families– and the entire advertising dept –to congratulate the winners…So, 150 to 200 people went to a party—In contrast, there were only 8 or 9 winners from last year—and their spouses – 20 people in total…to celebrate the accomplishments of a few who did manage to show gains over the previous year…
albanyguild
We believe our ad sales staff deserves great credit for the work they do, but having a party at the Capital Region’s most expensive restaurant a week before canceling our contract, and in the middle of layoffs, seems tone deaf to the pain being inflicted on so many.