SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Employees at the San Francisco Chronicle are bracing for big job cuts in the coming days as Hearst Corp. struggles to save the paper.
Michael Cabanatuan, president of the California Media Workers Guild, said the union’s leadership was up late into the night trying to make the best of very limited options.
“There will be a proposal that will be extremely painful and we need to decide if we’re putting it before our members,” he said.
KCBS' Mark Seelig reports
Because the paper lost $50 million in advertising revenue last year, Hearst is threatening to cut 225 jobs unless union employees agree to give up seniority rights, and to cuts in their benefits.
The paper wants them to give up paid vacations, sick time and family leave.
Cabanatuan said despite concerns that Hearst was taking advantage of the slow economy to push for non-economic concessions, overall “the general feeling is that they want us to do what we can to make the necessary cost savings to keep the Chronicle open.”
Hearst officials confirmed the company is still negotiating and willing to do what it could to save the paper.
A final proposal could go before the guild workers by the end of next week.
(jro)
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