'Commercial Appeal' Expected to Cut 27 Guild Positions

Posted Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:00 am

By: E&P Staff The Commercial Appeal is expected to announce the layoff of 27 Memphis Newspaper Guild-represented employees, following a meeting with union leaders Thursday.

Memphis Daily News, the business daily, reported in an article by Bill Dries that the Guild expects the cuts to be effective Nov. 5.

The layoffs are expected to include two reporters, two copy editors, four news assistants, and three online content producers. The paper employs about 650 full-timers.

In a letter late last week to Guild-represented workers, local President Reggie Sudduth said the union is trying to reduce the final number of firings.

Union members have been working without a new contract for the past five years, with terms of the expired contract still in effect because of its so-called "evergreen clause."

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'Commercial Appeal' Expected to Cut 27 Guild Positions

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