29 Employees Take Latest Buyout At Buffalo News, Avoid Layoffs

Ten editorial employees, 11 guild-covered employees from other departments, and eight managers are taking the latest buyout at the Buffalo News, the paper’s Guild notes.

Management said it came close enough to its goal of saving $1.8 million in payroll costs so won’t be laying anyone off.

According to the Buffalo Guild, the following 21 guild-covered employees have taken the buyout:

• Editorial (10): Scott Johnston, Dan Herbeck, Bill Wippert, Gerry Goodwin, Donn Esmonde, Darlene Gillham, Randy Rodda, Fletcher Doyle, Brian Meyer and Jim Heaney
• Circulation (5): Tom Frye, Phil Scapillato, Pat Gormley, Paul Bovey and Brian Long
• Classified Advertising (3): Ralphine Magby, Diane Cupples and Carole Bridge
• Accounting/Bookkeeping/Credit (2): Shukriyyah Hawkins and Carol Jones
• Customer Service (1): Lisa Stephan-Kozlowski

The company may also hire back certain employees on a part-time basis: so far Scott Johnston, Dan Herbeck, Donn Esmonde, and Brian Meyer will be returning.

The Buffalo News is still bargaining with its employees on health insurance and other issues, but have avoided layoffs for now.

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