Saturday, March 07, 2009

Newspaper Guild at Sacramento Bee: a union that makes us proud

Sacramento Bee union staffers vote on pay cuts
AP
By STEVE LAWRENCE
March 6, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Union members at The Sacramento Bee are deciding whether to accept pay cuts of up to 6 percent.

Approval of the cuts by the Newspaper Guild would save 19 union-covered jobs in the newsroom and advertising departments, at least for now.

The paper plans to cut 34 of the union's 268 positions regardless of the vote results. Rejection of pay cuts could put those 19 additional jobs in jeopardy, too.

Results are expected to be announced after 5 p.m. Friday, Pacific time.

If approved, the proposal would allow the newspaper's management to require employees to take a week of unpaid leave.

The Bee is owned by the McClatchy Co., based in Sacramento.