Gannett Workers Walk Out To Protest Cuts

Over 200 union journalists staged a one-day strike at14 Gannett owned-newsrooms on Friday to protest recent layoffs and other cost-cutting measures.  

The walkouts took place at the The Desert Sun, Arizona Republic, and 12 newsrooms in New Jersey and New York including the Record, Asbury Park Press and The Journal News, according to the NewsGuild.  

In addition, hundreds of other staffers in towns such as Austin and Milwaukee planned to take a lunch-time walkout or picket, the union said. 

This is in response to Gannett laying off employees, not filling open positions and taking other austerity measures, including non-paid furloughs and 401k plan cuts. 

The union scored the fact that Gannett announced a $100 million stock buyback program for shareholders in February, and that CEO Mike Reed draws an $8 million salary.

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"The announcement of a reduction of 400 jobs and another 400 vacancies that will not be filled along with furloughs and retirement cuts show a monumental lack of imagination,” stated Tony Daley, Economist, CWA. “As much as Reed touts the company’s commitment to journalism, the cutbacks tell the real story: cut newsrooms and the result is the delivery of less news to the communities we serve.”  

It was not clear at deadline if any non-union workers joined the walkouts. 

Meanwhile, 41-year Providence Journal veteran G. Wayne Miller apparently accepted a buyout, leaving on Friday. 

On Thursday, Gannett reported a 10.3% decline in Q3 revenue YoY to $717.9 million, and a $54.1 million net loss. 

But Reed said that the firm had moved toward stabilization in the third quarter. 

 

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