I assumed this week’s SMHRB would be covering the tack room I built for my little one and her friend after their previous one was destroyed in the recent storms.
I also assumed the Guild and site management had reached an agreement and would moving ahead on the difficult layoff process. And they mostly had. They had reached an agreement on a buyout package and how the process would proceed.
In mid-January the Guild had asked management, “How much cost-savings is the company seeking through these layoffs [...]” To which management replied, “Target savings $2.1mil. We estimate 55% (+/- 3%) of those positions will be unit [Guild] members.”
In another email from management’s lawyer they again used the “$2.1mil in people costs.”
With only two days left and after 16 members of the Guild agreed to take the voluntary buyout, Daily Kos president, Will Rockafellow sent staff the following:
When calculating people costs we include wages, benefits, taxes, 401K matching, etc. But to simplify the savings target, we focused on a salary target-of $2.1 million. The remainder of the goal would then be achieved by the savings the company receives by no longer paying for the benefits, taxes, 401K matching, etc when the employee leaves.
This meant the savings the Guild thought they offering the company were not as much as they calculated. There would need to be more layoffs of Guild members required. And with little time for the Guild to find other members willing to take the voluntary buyout.
Maybe an honest mistake by management and their lawyer, but conveniently it also gives them more leverage in the layoff decisions.
While kos claims they are following the agreement “to the letter.” The agreement was the basis for which layoffs/buyouts would be negotiated. The Guild assumed those negotiations were based on the figures provided by management and management’s lawyer.
The Guild has sent management “a cease and desist for breaching agreement and bad faith bargaining.”
In the comments of kos’s diary he responded to a question asking about management layoffs,
So here’s the difference between the Guild and management. Their job is to look out for themselves. That’s it. And that’s good! We voluntarily recognized the union, because that’s great!
Our job is to look out for the health of the company, take care of our staff, make sure it fulfills its mission, serve our audience, serve our community, and serve our clients. It requires a holistic, big-picture view that yes, requires painful sacrifices at times. We have to weigh every decision on how it impacts every part of what we do.
For example, the community moderation team was, from the very beginning, exempted from these cuts. That means that another part of the business will necessarily be disproportionately impacted. The Guild sees everyone as equal. We don’t have that luxury. Every cut will hurt our work. So we have to cut where it hurts our mission, and our community, the least. It fucking sucks.
So to answer your question, everything is on the table.
[bolding by me]
kos
To be honest, I don’t know how you can have good faith negotiations with somebody that believes you don’t care about the very company for which you work. The very company that you invest your time and efforts. The very company who’s health you depend on to make a living. Especially the people working for Daily Kos, “It is more than a job, it is a calling.”
One community member responded:
Enjoy your writings and enjoy the site, not just the stories but there is always an expert in this community on any topic. But I have to say
“It requires a holistic, big-picture view that yes, requires painful sacrifices at times. We have to weigh every decision on how it impacts every part of what we do.”
is just corporate management speak. It took me back because it was not what I was expecting given that I would expect you to call this out if it was some other site saying it.
I’ve been on both sides of this, first as a union plumber, then a contractor signatory to the union. As a member I was there when our negotiating team presented the state of the negotiations. They not only told us what they were still pushing for, they also shared what they considered legitimate concerns of the contractors. Just as the contractors depended upon our skilled labor, we depended on them being successful.
How to Support Daily Kos Guild workers:
- Recommend their stories—help them reach and stay on the Trending list.
- Leave a comment, even if it is just a word or two, to let them know you are an ally. Memes, gifs, union logos, photos, emojis, anything—say hello!
- Share a link to their stories widely on all social media, and tag @DailyKosGuild on Twitter and Instagram.
- Use these hashtags when possible: #DailyKosGuild #NegotiateWithDKG #Solidarity
- Follow @DailyKosGuild on Twitter and Instagram.
- Please also follow individual Daily Kos writers and Staff on Twitter and Iinstagram.
- Follow the DKG Solidarity group!
- Please sign their petition: Tell Daily Kos to uphold its mission, values, and commitment to working people, and share the petition link with others
- Share their story with pro-union friends and family through texts, email, and personal conversation!
