Journalists at the Journal News/LoHud in White Plains who belong to the NewsGuild union joined their colleagues at other Gannett Co. publications across the country on Friday for a one-day strike to protest layoffs at the financially troubled parent company.
“This action is in response to the company laying off 400 employees and cutting another 400 open positions in August, which represented 3% of staff, followed by additional cost-cutting austerity measures announced in October which included furloughs and cuts to the 401k plan,” the NewsGuild said in a statement published on its website.
“Gannett has no news to print, no stories to publish online, no photos, no content to share without the hard work and dedication of our members,” said Susan DeCarava, president of NewsGuild of New York. “Gannett executives have been robbing journalists and the communities they serve by decimating newsrooms and underpaying workers while lavishing company executives with extravagant pay, outrageous bonuses and artificially inflating the value of stocks with buyback schemes. We have had enough.”
Gannett issued a statement that said the strike did not impact its operations and sought to affirm its commitment to the communities it serves.
“Our goal is to preserve journalism and serve our communities across the country,” said Gannett”™s Chief Communications Officer Lark-Marie Anton. “Despite the anticipated work stoppage in some of our markets, we will not cease delivering trusted news to our loyal readers. In addition, we continue to bargain in good faith to finalize contracts that provide equitable wages and benefits for our valued employees.”
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
