Layoffs Coming To Cleveland Plain Dealer Newsroom

 

CLEVELAND, OH (November 3, 2008) – As many as 38 unionized newsroom employees will be cut by the end of the year at Cleveland's Plain Dealer.

Plain Dealer publisher and president Terry Egger said that worse than expected advertising revenue and "hard times ahead" for the newspaper industry are the reasons. Egger said the paper is turning a "small profit" much less than expected.

The 38 positions represent about 16 percent of the Plain Dealer's union members and it includes photographers, reporters, editors, an some support staff.

Employees have been given until November 20 to decide whether to volunteer for a severance package. If 38 fail to step forward, the paper will resort to layoffs, editor Susan Goldberg said.

The package offers two weeks pay for every year worked at the paper, but health insurance is not part of the offer.

Already this year 10 non-union Plain Dealer newsroom employees took a buy-out offer, and in 2006 the Plain Dealer offered a buy-out to all of its employees. Reports say 64 left at that time.

 

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