Pioneer Press union employees launch a web site to promote ESOP plan

[katinmn]

http://www.savethepioneerpress.com/index.cfm

NWU-TC Members and Friends:
The future of Minnesota's oldest newspaper, The St. Paul Pioneer
Press - and the jobs of more than 900 people - is at stake. The
newspaper's corporate owner, Knight-Ridder, will eventually be sold
to McClatchy, the corporate owner of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
McClatchy is handling the sale of the Pioneer Press and a number of
other union-represented newspapers it has decided not to buy. The
employees at the Pioneer Press, led by members of the local
Guild/Typo Union-CWA, have launched a website:

www.savethepioneerpress.com

I urge you to visit the site and learn about the employee stock
ownership purchase option that the union is backing which will be
open to all employees: union represented, non-represented and
management. The union would not own the paper. It strongly backs the
ESOP option.

Developments on the pending sale are expected to move quickly. Some
have speculated newspaper purchases could be completed in a matter of
months. The job market for freelance workers will be affected by the
worst case scenarios - like massive newsroom cuts or the closing of
the paper. Putting more journalists into the freelance pool would
serve to pull freelance rates even lower than they are.
Keeping Minneapolis-St. Paul a two paper town is important to each
community, civic involvement and democratic values.

With best regards,
Tom Lonergan
Dual member: NWU-TC and Guild/Typo CWA Local 37002