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Forum locked This topic is locked, you cannot edit posts or make further replies.  [ 14 posts ] 
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 Post subject: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2004 9:11 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am
Posts: 3137
Location: Homebush NSW Australia
Fairfax is cutting staff costs.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2004 2:06 pm 
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Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 744
Location: HuskerLand
"Compulsory redundancies." Pretty fancy language.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2004 2:22 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:01 am
Posts: 101
Location: Inner Baltimore
Actually, the complete phrase is more revealing: "compulsory redundancies may occur".<p>Talk about passive-aggressive. That's a thinly veiled threat.<p>Fifty-seven per cent of our editorial staff are paid at J9 or above and the average remuneration is more than $100,000 per annum...<p>$69,752.37 US, in case anyone was considering, ahem, a change of venue.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2004 8:46 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am
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Location: Homebush NSW Australia
More background here folk wanting details of the dramatis personae can find then fairly easily on the web.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2004 12:54 am 
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2003 1:01 am
Posts: 598
Location: The Herald in Everett, WA
<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by JPSheehan:
$69,752.37 US, in case anyone was considering, ahem, a change of venue.<hr></blockquote><p>Hmmm, I lived in various places in Texas for 27 years, can't be that different.....


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2004 5:37 am 
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Joined: Sat May 22, 2004 12:01 am
Posts: 160
Location: Australia
Of course, those 45 people have little hope of getting another job at their current grading. I know. I've been looking around and have been told I'm at the wrong end of the pay scale (J10 at News Ltd). Papers want to hire someone at half the grade (with less than half the skills).


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2004 9:05 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am
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Location: Homebush NSW Australia
G'day Lee. Mind if your compatriates Jester and I call you Bruce or in this sensitive new age Brucette it that applies?


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2004 9:14 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am
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Location: Homebush NSW Australia
Depending on how yoou are placed in regard to mortgage and family commitment, the lifestyle advantages of going downtable as a J5 or jack of all hands at a suburban can be worth it<p>Disclosure: Lee's profile is of a news designer for a competing company that I rate as exceptional at its visual craft.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:29 am 
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Joined: Sat May 22, 2004 12:01 am
Posts: 160
Location: Australia
Thanks for the compliment, Paul. BTW, it would be Brucette...


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 11:17 am 
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Joined: Sat May 22, 2004 12:01 am
Posts: 160
Location: Australia
After you've been J9 or 10 at a metro daily, who'd want to be jack of all hands at a regional or weekly?
You're talking sweatshop. I got my J10 after putting in eight years at a slave-labour regional daily and then a few years at the national daily. On my last day at the regional, they even held a Christmas party right next to my desk and didn't invite me to join them because I had to output 22 pages before midnight. When I finally got to my car, someone came out calling for me to come to prepress to fix something. I told them to f off. I'd put in the slave labour and got the training for next to no pay. One newspaper I've talked to recently about work admits it wants my skills but can't afford them. I am a single parent of two and can't afford the pay cut the paper is offering. So I'll stay put for now, even though I really can't afford to live in Sydney. I hope the Fairfax people who take the redundencies really use the money wisely and get back on their feet soon.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 7:21 pm 
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Location: Homebush NSW Australia
I know what you are saying, because I have been there. I'm fortunate with my present Fairfax posting but it would only only take some ''fresh ideas'' from a new CEO to make life miserable. Then I'd be knocking at doors.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2004 7:44 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am
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Location: Homebush NSW Australia
The Australian reports:<p>Rocked by redundancy<p>FEAR and loathing have gripped the Darling Park headquarters of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald. Management has deemed up to 45 senior journalists must go by the end of next month to save $4 million a year. The staff say savings could be found in other areas, such as the fat level of management introduced under departing CEO Fred Hilmer. After negotiations with the journalists' union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, management yesterday released the final details of the redundancy program. Staff have until June 8 to apply. If the bean-counters aren't happy with the cash they can save from those volunteering to be cast off, executions will continue apace. Reporters, editors, sub-editors, designers, artists and photographers on a pay level of J9 or above (about $80,000) are in the sights of editors Robert Whitehead and Phil McLean. The benignly named Expressions of Interest in Redundancy document offers staff tips for share advice, superannuation and counselling.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 4:31 am 
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Joined: Sat May 22, 2004 12:01 am
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Location: Australia
Fairfax management has backed down on compulsory redundancies at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun Herald. Editors have issued a statement to staff saying the redundancy program would end this week.


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 Post subject: Re: Presented without comment
PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:52 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am
Posts: 3137
Location: Homebush NSW Australia
With this positive industry outlook it was always going to be difficult to persaude Alliance members that the cuts were vital.


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