The Santa Rosa Press Democrat will cut most nonunion employees’ pay by 2.5 percent as part of a cost-savings move by its parent company, the New York Times Co., the PD reported today. Employees will be given five additional paid days off as part of the wage change. The NYT Co. will also cut wages for employees of its North Bay Business Journal and Argus Courier.
Of the 365 full-time and part-time employees at the three Sonoma County publications, the pay of 159 nonunion employees will be cut immediately. About 100 part-time employees will not be affected.
The paper is asking the 159 unionized employees to accept the pay cut. The PD has about 105 union employees in the newsroom, circulation and printing.
The company said it hopes to restore salaries next year, if business conditions permit.
In New York, the story is worse. Nonunion employees at the Times and Boston Globe will have their wages cut by 5 percent. The Times is laying off 100 people, or 5 percent of its 2,000-person work force.