The
International Federation of Journalists today slammed the hypocrisy of New
York Times company chiefs who took millions of dollars in extra pay while
their journalists and media workers were having their salaries cut or being
sacked.
Furious
staff at the Boston Globe have told the management of the New York Times
Co, which owns the newspaper, that they want their money back after last year's savage $10 million cut in payroll
costs which management imposed after threatening to close the paper.
A recent report filed at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission showed
that in 2009, New York Times Chief Executive Janet Robinson received a 32
percent pay rise, to $6.2 million, while the pay package of company Chairman
Arthur Sulzberger Jr
more than doubled to $5.9 million.
"Journalists
and staff are right to be angry when they see that bosses help themselves to
fat-cat salaries while cutting wages and showing the door to editorial staff,"
said Aidan White IFJ General Secretary. "It is a scandalous reflection on the
double standards that employers use in the face of the media crisis."
A contract agreed last year after
tough negotiations cut salaries by nearly 6 percent. It also included a pension
freeze, a reduction in health care benefits and the elimination of lifetime job
guarantees.
Now staff members at the Globe who are members of the Boston Newspaper Guild, a
section of The Newspaper Guild-CWA which is affiliated to the IFJ, have written
to Sulzberger and Robinson, saying they want to claw back the money they had to
give up last year.
Last
year's negotiations were carried out under the shadow of an ultimatum from
management that closure was imminent. Some 50 editorial jobs cuts were
announced in January with 40 more in the commercial departments. A programme of voluntary lay-offs has been put in place.
Now
union members are saying their co-operation in facing the crisis has been
betrayed by management greed. Their letter to management the union says "The
recent SEC filings make it look like almost all of our sacrifices went to pay
the two of you."
"No
wonder they feel insulted and cheated after accepting harsh cuts to save the
paper," said White. "It's time for industry employers to show more dignity and decency
in the face of a crisis that is overwhelming media people everywhere."
For more
information contact the IFJ at +32 2 235 22 07
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists
in 125 countries worldwide