The San Francisco Business Times and the SF Weekly report that union leaders met with Chronicle management on Friday to talk about a coming round of layoffs, but no job numbers were disclosed.
However, management admitted that it was still losing $1 million a week — the same figure it has given for its losses for several years now — even though it has eliminated 481 jobs this year.
In the past year the Chron has:
- • laid off or bought out 151 Guild jobs in news and sales; • cut 100 jobs of Teamster drivers; • not renewed a contract for 230 Teamster press operators when the paper began outsourcing its printing in July; • reduced the width of its pages by 1 inch to cut paper costs; • raised its newsstand price to $1; • raised its home subscription price from $300 to $400 for seven-day delivery; • and cut delivery to outlying areas.
After Friday’s meeting with management, union official Carl T. Hall told the SF Weekly: “They are looking at all areas … I wouldn’t put the newsroom in any protected category.”
Look for more announcements after Labor Day. The Guild is asking any of its 330 remaining members to step forward now if they’re interested in a voluntary buyout.