crosscut.com : Workplace / Labor

Seattle's dailies and a union get down to it

Crosscut — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:00:01 PDT

It's not unusual for units of the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild and managements of The Seattle Times and Seattle Post-Intelligencer to not get down to serious labor negotiations until contracts are about to expire. What's different this time is the climate of the newspaper business. It's ugly, getting uglier. To wit: "Grim Reaper: Newspapers Cut 3,500+ Jobs in Two Months."

Sausage Links, blame-game edition

Crosscut — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:05:01 PDT

David Goldstein at Horse's Ass says everyone has missed the boat about the latest mess surrounding the "top-two" primary. The Seattle Times blamed the parties. The parties blamed the state. Others blamed the lawyers. Goldstein, however, says the person to blame for what could be the "most monumental legal fuck up in state history — one which puts the legitimacy of our entire 2008 election in jeopardy" — is state Attorney General Rob McKenna.

Health insurance coverage vs. science

Crosscut — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:00:01 PDT

A device to help those with autism and other conditions communicate has been excluded — and then included, and then excluded again — from health insurance coverage in Washington. At issue is the process by which insurers decide what's covered and why, which doesn't always reflect scientific consensus.

Sausage Links, hammer-time edition

Crosscut — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:00:01 PDT

Tri-City Herald reporter Chris Mulick digs deep into Washington state's bungled attempt to land a $2 billion uranium enrichment plant, along with its 400 high-paying jobs. According to Mulick, Gov. Chris Gregoire chose not to pursue bidding for the plant, deciding instead to play it cool politically. As a result, Idaho got the plant. Washington lost the money. And Dino Rossi just got more ammo for his campaign. Still, Gregoire's got a sizable lead in the polls, at the moment. ...

Sausage Links, media-bashing edition

Crosscut — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:00:01 PDT

Lefty blogger David Goldstein at Horse's Ass has been battering the local media lately. Yesterday, he unleashed on Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Chris McGann for his coverage of Gov. Chris Gregoire's now infamous state gambling compact. Today he asks Crosscut's Ted Van Dyk to apologize to Gregoire for his own coverage of Casino-gate. ...

Polimedia lunch links, 'let's party' edition

Crosscut — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:06:01 PDT

Eric Earling at Sound Politics responds to Gov. Chris Gregoire's recent assertion that the Building Industry Association of Washington "is the most powerful special interest lobby" in the state, pointing to the Dem's own PACs as evidence. In case you missed the Top of The News, Gov. Christine Gregoire's donors won big-time after they helped her squeak out a victory in 2004. ...

Employee performance evaluations through the ages

Crosscut — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:00:01 PDT

These case studies might be instructive for employers of today. Examined here are the supervisor evaluations of employees Benedict Arnold, Judas Iscariot, and George Armstrong Custer.

Polimedia lunch links, flip-flop edition

Crosscut — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:05:01 PDT

Jim Camden at the Spokesman-Review mined his YouTube account for videos of Barack Obama's now infamous switch on campaign financing, while also noting John McCain's back flip on the off-shore oil drilling ban. ...

Three potential buyers for Blethen's Maine newspapers

Crosscut — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:59:01 PDT

The search for a buyer of the Seattle Times Co.'s Blethen Maine Newspapers chain of three dailies has narrowed to three possible purchasers, but the only organization to openly declare its interest says it won't be in that group.

Rich Jerk Watch

Crosscut — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:56:01 PDT

I was scanning the pages of the May issue of Seattle Business Monthly, a sister publication of Seattle magazine, where I write a column and serve as editor-at-large. I had time to kill in a waiting room and was looking to see what excites the local CEOs.

Another devaluation of the Seattle Times Co.

Crosscut — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:10:01 PDT

Last week was tough for the folks at the Seattle Times Co. The flagship Seattle Times carried through on a plan to cut the paper's staff of 1,845 by about 7 percent, or 125 employees. Meanwhile, in a federal securities filing last Friday, May 9, Sacramento-based McClatchy Co., which owns 49.5 percent of the Times Co. voting stock, disclosed it is continuing to devalue its stake in the company.

For the French, Seattle's cachet is bio

Crosscut — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:00:01 PDT

Seattle's French Underground: There are thousands of emigrants in metro Seattle. They generally like our green and organic values, but the social norms here are an acquired taste. Part 2

Thousands trade four wheels for two during Bike to Work Month

Crosscut — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:00:01 PDT

Rising gas prices, crowded buses, concern for the environment, and the desire to squeeze in a workout are motivating more people to commute by bike. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking about joining them.

Discords in the violin sections

Crosscut — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:27:01 PDT

The concertmaster post (leader of the first violin section) is proving a hot seat in Seattle. Marjorie Kransberg-Talvi, longtime leader of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, has resigned that post, unhappy at criticism of her playing by conductor Stewart Kershaw, effective the end of this season. Ingrid Matthews is taking a one-year leave from being leader of Seattle Baroque Orchestra, citing a need to take some time off. And turmoil continues at the Seattle Symphony.

What made the Seattle style of business a success

Crosscut — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:00:01 PDT

As civic icons like Safeco drift away from their Puget Sound roots, here's a look at the components of a Seattle way of doing business that built up such brands. The key was motivated employees. The poison was rapid growth.

Growing up without newspapers

Crosscut — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:00:01 PDT

Sixth of a series: The youngest member of the Crosscut editorial team weighs in.

Maybe it's not so easy keeping factories in Seattle

Crosscut — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:00:01 PDT

I'm a big fan of the Puget Sound Business Journal, which this week has a story about four high profile factories that might leave Seattle. A lot of media attention has followed efforts to keep Korry Electronics, which was looking at the Port of Seattle's Interbay site. (I refuse to call it North Bay.)

Best places to do business in America? Think Boise and Olympia

Crosscut — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:33:01 PDT

Forbes has a new listing of the best places to build a business or a career. and the surprise local leader is Boise, which came second (after Raleigh, N.C.). Seattle finished 20th, while Portland was 35th.

The Boeing tanker slapdown

Crosscut — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:01 PST

The state's congressional delegation and others are shocked that we're shipping defense jobs overseas to Airbus. But isn't that the free trade they're always touting?

A pause in the Times-Teamsters tussle

Crosscut — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:39:01 PST

The end-of-the-month showdown between the Seattle Times Co. and Teamsters Local 174 truckers appears to be off, for now anyway. Times Co. senior vice president for human resources Alayne Fardella, in an update sent to the paper's employees today, Feb. 25, said the company has not sent the required 30-day notification of termination of its contract with 74 union truckers and mechanics, leaving the old contract in place. The company still plans to outsource bulk trucking of newspapers to private contractor Penske Logistics, Fardella says, but it isn't clear when.