Print outsourcing update 8.11.09

Everyone,

We are meeting on Saturday August 15 with the company for ongoing contract negotiations and will seek an update on the print outsourcing situation then.

There have been no significant changes since our last meeting with the company on July 23, and it appears that management is still leaning strongly toward sending the jobs to Tupelo. We oppose this because it will inflict economic harm on the individuals involved and on the community, and make it much harder to make timely deliveries of print copies of The Commercial Appeal to customers.

We want to tell you about some things that have been going on in the background. Several days ago, we contacted the Memphis and Shelby County Office of Economic Development and the Greater Memphis Chamber for help.

John Moore, president and CEO of the Chamber, met with publisher Joe Pepe in an effort to find a way to keep to find ways to keep the 115 printing-related jobs here.

Moore told us that the problem is that the tax breaks and other economic incentives available are aimed at bringing NEW jobs to the area, not keeping existing jobs here. He didn’t see a way to apply these incentives in this case.

We want to publicly thank the Chamber and the office of economic development for getting involved. We are sorry they don’t have better news for us.

Look for more updates soon, and please contact me directly at danieljamesconnolly@hotmail.com or on my cell phone at 205-807-0608 if you have questions or comments.

Daniel Connolly, President, Memphis Newspaper Guild