'Commercial Appeal' Seeks February Job Cuts

By: Jim Rosenberg The Commercial Appeal late Friday notified the Memphis Newspaper Guild that it will eliminate jobs on Feb. 1.

According to the Guild, the one-paragraph letter from the E.W. Scripps daily did not specify the number of positions or names of employees to be cut. The Guild has requested a meeting for more information.

The Guild told member that it hopes the information will enable it to negotiate any layoffs while providing time to identify members "who are ready to leave anyway." It also seeks to enforce its contract's provisions for severance and prohibition of outsourcing-related reductions.