A lovely summer in Minneapolis

The Star Tribune’s cut 27 positions, mostly from the ranks of copy editors. Eleven staff members took a buyout, but the other fifteen were laid off last Wednesday and Thursday.

David Brauer has the names:

Copy editors (10 buyout-takers): Steve Fisher, Ann Wilhelmy, John McIntyre, Patty Pryor-Nolan, Sharon Hodge, Cyndi Nightengale, Jean Shea, Paulette Henderson, Tim O’Brien, and Sharon Kessler.

Copy editors (eight layoff victims): Lisa Hoff, Nancy Lo, Kelly Maynard, Mark Holland, Troy Melhus, Sherri Hildebrandt, Bill Crum, and David Gustafson.

News assistants (2): Chris Reusse (layoff), Christine O’Connor (buyout)

Photo editors (2): Jennifer Simonson, Tricia Drury.

Multimedia producer (1): Karen Paurus.

Read Brauer’s post to see some touching memorials for the staffers that are moving on.

www.lumaxart.com/

Weirdness: After George Hearst himself reportedly “insisted” that Albany Times-Union members vote on a contract offer that would allow the paper to outsource any and all jobs and lay off employees regardless of seniority, and the proposal was defeated 125 to 35, Hearst is now declaring negotiations at an impasse and will impose his own terms come June 24.

In a letter dated yesterday and sent to Guild President Tim O’Brien, Hearst writes:

“We are not willing to entertain any further compromise on these issues.” The contract the company proposed will go into effect May 24, minus a $500 bonus the company had offered and a few other perks.

We liked one of the comments on the post announcing the impasse:
“In Iran they rig the vote, here they just declare impasse.”