Jackson Free Press

On an earlier post, I talked about hearing from the inside that The Clarion-Ledger not giving bonuses this year and how staffers are disenchanted as a result. Well, it's bleaker than we thought. I didn't know that the "bonuses" are not cash—they are gift certificates. Last year, they were $60 each, I'm told. This year, the Ledger staffers get nothing. No gift certificate. No Christmas party. Nothing. Meantime, the coffee drinkers there have to pay $10 a month to partake in office coffee—and the publisher is getting new hardwood floors installed.

Previous Commentsshow

It is almost like corporations are helping the anti-establishment recruit. Making addicts pay for their coffee is sure to rally the troops. (You'd think the Gannett owns a coffee plantation somewhere anyway.)

daniel johnson

Dec 22 2007

(You'd think the Gannett owns a coffee plantation somewhere any Right. That's the part that gets me. It's not like they couldn't come up with a coffee deal or a batch of gift certificates that they don't have to actually fork over cash for. Are they that desperate? I don't understand it at all. I mean, they have people working nights over there—AND THEY'RE NOT GIVING THEM FREE COFFEE. I guess I should ask if they have water coolers, or if the staff has to fill their water bottles out of the bathroom tap.

DonnaLadd

Dec 24 2007

It is a perfect representation of corporate culture. Managers and owners are so alienated from their workers and the actual operation of business that they have no idea why their buisness function (or more likely do NOT function). This story is another arguement in favor of Unionization.

Willezurmacht

Dec 29 2007

Word is that the "OC"—operating committee, or as the rest of us would call them, "managers"—did have a Christmas party in the building. Some of that leftover food ended up being accessed by the worker bees. So there's that. "OC," "Operating Committee," "mojos," "Information Center"—Orwell come to mind, anyone? I guess they don't even comprehend the message they're sending to their employees, the community and the world. They just hire managers—er, operators—who don't give a damn about good news coverage or their employees to do the corporate bidding (and bury the really controversial stories) and the rest be damned. I'm still just stunned about them taking away $50 gift certificates and free coffee. Stunned. I've not worked much in a corporate environment, so I can't comprehend it.

DonnaLadd

Dec 29 2007

Ladd I agree with you. I went to grad school all those years so I would not have to interact with corporate types. But now they are taking over academics as well. I may have to start looking for a new way to make a living.

Willezurmacht

Dec 29 2007

This is why I choose to work in the non-profit world. I may be poor forever, but my work place knows what makes employees happy. WE EVEN GET A CHRISTMAS BONUS. We also get ten days of paid leave during the Christmas Holidays. (The 22nd-Jan 3rd) They realize that while they don't have the money to give us huge bonuses, they can give us the time off. And, WE GET FREE COFFEE AND WATER. So, um, I'm not understanding the CL not being able to afford these small perks for their staff. I had a very good friend who wrote for the CL for two years. He recently left for another paper. This was mostly due to the incompetent managerial staff and the way they treat their employees. He was a good worker, a good writer, and a good reporter. This seems to be the ongoing problem with the CL. They hire good staff and run them off with all the inter-office crap.

Lori G

Dec 30 2007