BNA - Guild News

Aug. 29 , 2001

Company Joins "Layoff" Bandwagon;

RIFs Senior Editor While on Maternity Leave

Chief Justice Earl Warren once said he read the sports page first so he could see man's accomplishments. So imagine our surprise to open the sports page August 20 to read an article about the Redskins and, instead, read about layoffs. Sally Jenkins, in writing about NFL players moving from city to city, the way workers get laid off everywhere, wrote that Ford, one of the largest auto makers, announced it's eliminating about 5000 jobs; Disney is to eliminate 4,000 jobs, etc. "In the first seven months of this year," she wrote, "nearly 1 million job eliminations have been announced."

So the fact that BNA recently announced the layoff of two editorial employees is not totally earth-shattering news, except to the two people affected. However, it should be worrisome to the rest of us -- especially since one of those targeted is currently on maternity leave and has seniority over other employees in her department.

Why her?, the Guild asked BNA.

We have strong contract provisions on layoffs - provisions that benefit both employees and management.

The contract provides that if the workforce in a particular unit has to be reduced, all of the employees in the affected job classification are to be offered the opportunity to voluntarily resign. If there are not enough resignations, those subject to the layoff are offered preferential placement in open positions for which they qualify. Less senior employees are laid off first.

The company can't order a layoff without seeking resignations, and absolutely can't lay off the senior employee in the affected department.

The Guild -- your voice at work!

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