April 24, 2006

 

CROSS-DIVISIONAL VOLUNTEERS PERIOD BEGINS

 

On April 7, Time Inc. announced new job eliminations.  For the past two weeks, management has been accepting buyout volunteers from the “targeted” areas.  For the next two weeks, according to the Guild contract the company will consider giving buyouts to cross-divisional volunteers into whose spots affected employees could be moved.

 

BUT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE NOT PART OF THE LAYOFF.

 

Recently, six Sports Illustrated photographers were approached by management and were given the mistaken impression that they had been “targeted” in the current layoff and, as an alternative, were being offered enhanced packages to leave voluntarily.

 

If that had been the case, it would have been a clear violation of the Guild contract, since the union had not been notified of the company’s intent to reduce the staff of SI photographers and the six apparently had been approached improperly, without being given a chance for representation or any regard to their seniority.

 

Time Inc. management claimed it didn’t happen, when the issue was brought to their attention by the Guild.  There is no layoff of S.I. photographers going on, they said, however, there is a buyout being offered to S.I. photographers generally, and all of them know about it and any may apply.  They told the Guild that no layoffs will immediately follow if Time Inc. doesn’t get a specific number of volunteers.

 

Here are the areas the company in which it has said it wants to reduce the force;

 

BUSINESS AND NEWS IMAGING GROUP: The company said it would be “clustering” the imaging and edit operations of its business magazines (Fortune, Fortune Small Business, Money, and Business 2.0) with those of Time and Life magazines.  The result will be a downsizing of as many as 13 jobs – up to eight in edit operations, one imaging coordinator, and up to four imaging specialists.

 

TIME COPYROOM: In the Time Magazine copyroom, the company is looking to eliminate up to four people or up to 12 shifts.  If individuals would be interested in working fewer shifts a week, their proposals would be entertained.  Tuesday shifts will be eliminated, and the number of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday shifts will be reduced.

 

SI PICTURE COLLECTION: At the sports Illustrated Picture Collection, the company is looking to cut the staff from five individuals to three.

 

PARENTING MAGAZINE: Time Inc. also said it would outsource the imaging work of Parenting Magazine, which until now has been done by the People Group’s Imaging department, thus eliminating three full-time positions (and a non-Guild supervisor).  Volunteers will also be considered for those three outsourced jobs.

 

JOB-FOR-PACKAGE SWAP

 

In keeping with the Guild contract provisions, volunteers from other magazines may come forward for the two weeks starting April 21, for two weeks.  (If you come forward after then, management is not obligated to consider you, but it may do so.)  Those who are in the same job category or hold other similar job titles, may indicate their interest in volunteering for a job-elimination package during the next two weeks.

 

If you are sure you want to step forward, LET THE GUILD KNOW OF YOUR INTENTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  If you have some interest but are unsure, or if you just want to learn more about what a package may entail, you may want to contact Time Magazine HR specialist Amy Sommer (x0560) to get the figures for your package and then contact Guild Unit Chairperson Alex Blanco (x4187), Guild Grievance Chairperson Edith Fried (x3867), or Local Representative Bob Townsend 212-730-1532.

 

Be aware that no cross-divisional volunteer situation is ever a sure thing.  The manager from the department in which the volunteer works must interview and accept, in the volunteer’s place, the person who was to be laid off.  The only guarantee in the contract is that management will “make every reasonable effort” to accept volunteers.  If the job-for-package swap works, the volunteer will get the job-elimination package, and the targeted person will get the volunteer’s job.

 

VOLUNTEERING FROM THE TARGETING DEPARTMETNS: Management has confirmed that, during the two-week cross-divisional volunteer period, members of the downsized departments continue to have the right to volunteer.

 

As before, the Guild is outraged that these unnecessary job cuts are being made.  Time Warner had more than $43 billion in revenues and almost $3 billion in profits last year.  And Time Inc., itself, according to an Ann Moore memo, had another record year in 2005 (OIBDA) over the year before, with advertising revenue up over $100 million and total revenue up $225 million.  Surely, a company making that much money can pare its staff by attrition, not layoffs.

 

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 04.24.06