If photographers and copy editors did not exist, than how would newspaper be any different from radio? Why print the news if it is just words that could be much more efficently reproduced non-visually. I would mention graphic artists as well, but I don’t think many newspapers have many of those left. So in teh absence of artists, the copy editors have to provide maps, charts and downlaod cliaprt and wire illustrations.

It all works together. Yeah, the reporting and ad sales might be the engine of the car, but the engine goes nowhere without the wheels, and it has no use without the body and passenger compartment and controls.

What’s next? I know, lets give everyone a sketch pad to draw the news.

Sheesh.

1 – We need to not allow them to continue to frame the issues. It’s not 2.5%. It will now be 4.5% (2.5 continuing for a second year and 2 years worth of contracted 1% pay raises we would give up, 2009 and 2010 now). They try to hide the the true numbers by saying 2.5.

2 – This has not been a true negotiation. The company has simply made demands. They have never seriously considered any of our requests or suggestions. A true negotiation is give and take. They just want to take — and want us to give. If I were to consider voting for this, I’d want SOMETHING in return.

3 – Nothing has changed in the past month, other than some good economic news has come out. They haven’t rehired for 3 of the 5 positions we lost, like they said they would. They haven’t laid off any others, like they threatened. I don’t know that I believe they will lay off now if we vote no. They do acknowledge we are just about as bare bones as we can get.

4 -Just look at the huge number of red names up on the Guild board, compared to the tiny number of mgmt folks who have been lost. We HAVE already taken great hits, and we’ve already accepted one pay cut. And they have still not shown they are willing to bear additional burden in the mgmt ranks.

5 – We finally, finally showed them we were united with the last vote. Let’s keep that momentum. We are certainly willing to considering changes, but we want true negotiating and some kind of guarantees before we vote to slit our own throats.

6 – If we give this up now, I believe we will be digging a deeper hole to try to climb out of when contract negotiations really begin in 2011. Does anyone really think that if we vote yes on this that they will not be back again in a few months asking for even more? (remember, this current cut was supposed to last us until the end of this year, but they came back within a few months, capitalizing on all the economic fear we report on.)

While I respect people’s individual needs and fears, I believe that we are stronger when we stick together. We showed we can do that with the last vote. Let’s keep it going.

Carter