The Blog

So Tribune Co. exceeded expectations in 2009? Whose sorry-ass expectations?

I'm not quite sure why people think that Randy Michaels would give out these bonuses if he didn't think they were necessary to retain good executives. What would be his motive for granting bonuses just for the hell of it? Tribune Company will not be able to become successful again if it doesn't have talented leaders. Every indication is that the company is making good progress. Cash flow has increased. The Chicago Tribune hasn't had to reduce staff for almost a year. If I were a rank-and-file employee I would very happy that things are improving and I wouldn't mind good bonuses being paid to those responsible for that. In fact, I would be very concerned if the judge were to reject these incentives.

I don't think there is anything conspiratorial about the Tribune not publishing a long article on this. The business section has been decimated and it is common for there to be only three pages or so of business news. Its not particularly unusual for a story like this to get short shrift.

If they are such good "leaders" they would know how important the "rank-and-file" employees are to any success the company is currently having and would at minimum want to share the wealth.

If I were rank-and-file there I'd be furious.

"You don't think that 1) there's a problem when an executive needs a bonus that's larger than most people's salaries to stay motivated."

It's not about staying motivated. It is about preventing them from going to another company. I don't have enough detailed information to say for sure whether or not these bonuses are good idea. But it seems to me that the Tribune's top executives wouldn't be granting them if they didn't think they were necessary. What would be their purpose in spending such a significant amount of money if there was not strong evidence that it is worth it?

It was particularly sleazy that they weren't proactive in communicating this apparent change of policy. It only came out during the Q&A at the end of a town hall. They were unprepared to answer this very obvious question for workers and seemed genuinely surprised at the level of anger afterward. This replaced any sense of "we" with an us/them scenario and it will continue to eat away at any gains in morale created by new leadership, recent successes and the occasional afternoon snack in the newsroom. They don't get it. The main talking point after an afternoon huddle of managers appeared to be: you should all feel lucky you weren't laid off, furloughed or asked to take a pay cut. I'll feel luckier when I get out ...

60 Percent is correct. And all this blather about keeping these top-notch executives happy is nonsense. The goals they've met have been not much more than firing people to cut costs. Oh, and keeping payroll from increasing with things like, say, cost of living raises. At one point, Kern told the crowd that the cost of living hasn't gone up much over the last few years anyway, so who needs a raise. Mayve he's on a different health plan. Meanwhile, look at the list of talented reporters who have bolted recently for jobs that matched or raised their income. Mihalopoulos, Morrissey, Olkon, Atayeiro. And the Sun Times has made offers to others. So it's not like the marketplaces is standing still anymore.

Oh, my. You have to pay clowns giant money to stay? Where else are they going to go in this climate? Is there some business looking for the great talent that turned the newspaper into a joke? Who wants them? They are lucky to have jobs, and they are taking the money while it's still there, because they DON'T have any place else to go. Does anyone--anyone?--know who'd want to hire these guys?

Let's see. The Trib newsroom is outraged that they're not getting raises this year. That's saying a lot, because in the past they haven't been upset enough to actually do anything about it when:

1) Their own ESOP retirement fund was raided without their consent to help seize control of the company in a screwball deal that loaded the struggling outfit with billions in debt and gave them 60 percent ownership but no controlling say in governance.

2) Hundreds of their fellow employee owners were sent to the wood chipper by (as Mr. Miner accurately phrased it) the hired help.

3) Their respected, albeit unexciting, newsroom leadership was muscled out and replaced by a team of cut-rate suck-ups.

4) Their paper was transformed from a publication with at least a claim to national and even global respectability into a so-so community rag distinguished more for its farcical presentation in print and incoherent online presence than its occasional forays into informative journalism.

5) And their company CEO, apparently, has a thing for rubber penises and farting on the radio.

The Trib newsroom just rolled with all these punches. Hell, for all we know, in their majority, they may have been thrilled by these improbable insults and events. So it's surprising if, as Mr. Miner says, the atmosphere there is now "toxic" over the absence of raises in 2010. They must have expected one whopping pay boost.

3/1/10 - Now we are told we will get a raise in 2010 if we deserve it. No more standard raises that were basically called a cost of living raise, that is until the cost of living skyrocketed, than as you can imagine the percentage was suddenly not in line with the cost of living. All Managers who received bonuses should be embarassed to accept them when their staff could not receive a raise.
No word yet from Managers as to when we will receive a review, if we will get a raise, what is the criteria for non-management employees to receive a bonus? Seems to me at my paper it is the old boys club. The non-management bonuses were only givem to men. If Management Bonuses were so deserving, publish them for all employees to see. I'm sure it won't happen! So, they think by informing employees about 1 non-management indvidual who received a $25,000 bonus and a trip a few days before informing company employees that raises will be available in 2010 but only if you deserve it, and that their will be more non management bonuses available will motivate employees? We are adults, treat us like adults, not rats in a maze. I wish I was able just to be the type of person to not care about my work, and just collect my paycheck. Management would never know. How come we the so called Employee Owners never here any input from the Trustee of Great Banc? Hopefully the US Trustee will also nail them to the wall along with Tribune Management. The IRS also needs to investigate. Anyone notice paychecks at the end of the year were dated 12/31/09 instead of 2010. Know why? So Tribune could avoid the new 401K match. Call the Benefits Service Center and ask why the Company couldn't match anyway. Cheap! Also, research Health Insurance Company ratings, bet you will find United Health Care as one of the worst! Blue Cross of Illinois was much better. United Health Care has caused many problems due to inaction by their reps. Have you heard the latest nail in employees coffins? Now due to errors made by benefits service center staff, long term disability will be effected. Sometimes if an employee is on short term disability and it runs out, but the Health Insurance Company or your doctor is slow in providing the required information to place you on long term disability, you will be terminated. Once terminated, you no longer have company health insurace, life insurance , accidental death & dismemberment insurance. So if you are moving towards Long Term Disability make sure your doctor sends the paperwork promptly and via certified mail or express mail to United Health Care. This way you will have proof of delivery once United Health Care Screws it up. Beleive me they will! This is all due to Benefits Service Center employees allowing employees who were on STD but not approved for LTD to remain active on the payroll. So now all employees will suffer. Where the people who made this serious error and cost the Company money terminated? Where the Managers who should have caught this mistake? Tell me something about bonuses, if Managers I work with received large bonuses in 2010, doesen't that mean that my paper did well, and wasn't one of the reasons because all of the employees contributed?
That alone should indicate we deserve a raise. Oh US Trustee send letters to all employees for input about the ESOP transaction, how the employees are being treated, how employee benefits are being downgraded, and what kind of representation would they like to see on the Board. Apparently the Trustee from Great Banc is just a puppet used by Management. Perhaps you need to investigate Great Banc also.