Comments on: No back wages http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842 Minneapolis + St. Paul Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:23:37 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cat http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181891 Cat Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:13:55 +0000 #comment-181891 Interesting back wages story update from Dave Brauer:<br /> <br /> <em>ITEM: Some Metropolitan Media Group employees will get back pay and vacation pay after all.<br /> <br /> Last week, I reported that local business titan Tom Petters was buying the local-lifestyle-mag chain, but stiffing employees out of a few weeks' pay plus accrued vacation.<br /> <br /> The mags themselves are of little consequence, but the Strib's Chris Serres and Mpls.St.Paul's Brian Lambert advanced the story and amplified the reverse-Robin-Hood angle: rich guy screws low-paid grunts.<br /> <br /> Now, according to Petters Group spokesperson Andrea Miller, the 39 MMG employees being kept on will get "retention bonuses" equal to their back pay and vacation. The company still has not decided about making whole the 10-15 workers laid off; Miller says that annoucement will be made Friday or Monday.<br /> <br /> Did media pressure get the retained workers their cash? Miller insists not. "We weren't able to get the pieces in place quickly enough" to let workers know when the MMG announcement was made, she explains. "Tom Petters, a very active manager in our company, was traveling and we were unable to reach him for confirmation."<br /> <br /> Hmm ... OK.</em> Interesting back wages story update from Dave Brauer:

ITEM: Some Metropolitan Media Group employees will get back pay and vacation pay after all.

Last week, I reported that local business titan Tom Petters was buying the local-lifestyle-mag chain, but stiffing employees out of a few weeks’ pay plus accrued vacation.

The mags themselves are of little consequence, but the Strib’s Chris Serres and Mpls.St.Paul’s Brian Lambert advanced the story and amplified the reverse-Robin-Hood angle: rich guy screws low-paid grunts.

Now, according to Petters Group spokesperson Andrea Miller, the 39 MMG employees being kept on will get “retention bonuses” equal to their back pay and vacation. The company still has not decided about making whole the 10-15 workers laid off; Miller says that annoucement will be made Friday or Monday.

Did media pressure get the retained workers their cash? Miller insists not. “We weren’t able to get the pieces in place quickly enough” to let workers know when the MMG announcement was made, she explains. “Tom Petters, a very active manager in our company, was traveling and we were unable to reach him for confirmation.”

Hmm … OK.

]]> By: noodleman http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181582 noodleman Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:44:39 +0000 #comment-181582 <em>It's charitable just keeping them on the payroll in spite of their product bleeding red ink. If they can help make the business profitable for Petters, it'll be like a welfare to work program.</em><br /> <br /> The obvious business solution then is to work for free. Payroll is always the major operating expense of any business. If we worked for free, a business would stand a much, much better chance of being profitable for its owners.<br /> <br /> So, g_rote, can we see you lead us by example?<br /> <br /> P.S. Product-bleeding-red-ink is actually not the fault of the employees. It's the fault of short-sighted product geniuses who understand little of the market they're dealing with. As someone wrote earlier: <em>Wasn't MMG the company that created the print mag about local radio personalities? Just sayin'.</em><br /> <br /> Maybe 15 years ago when we still had real radio personalities in this market. But now, in this era of cloned-and-canned-voice-tracked radio? ROTFLMAO.<br /> <br /> And I work in radio.<br /> It’s charitable just keeping them on the payroll in spite of their product bleeding red ink. If they can help make the business profitable for Petters, it’ll be like a welfare to work program.

The obvious business solution then is to work for free. Payroll is always the major operating expense of any business. If we worked for free, a business would stand a much, much better chance of being profitable for its owners.

So, g_rote, can we see you lead us by example?

P.S. Product-bleeding-red-ink is actually not the fault of the employees. It’s the fault of short-sighted product geniuses who understand little of the market they’re dealing with. As someone wrote earlier: Wasn’t MMG the company that created the print mag about local radio personalities? Just sayin’.

Maybe 15 years ago when we still had real radio personalities in this market. But now, in this era of cloned-and-canned-voice-tracked radio? ROTFLMAO.

And I work in radio.

]]> By: g rote http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181522 g rote Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:57:20 +0000 #comment-181522 <em>Why doesn't he spread some of that much-praised "charity" around to his new employees?</em><br /> <br /> It's charitable just keeping them on the payroll in spite of their product bleeding red ink. If they can help make the business profitable for Petters, it'll be like a welfare to work program. Why doesn’t he spread some of that much-praised “charity” around to his new employees?

It’s charitable just keeping them on the payroll in spite of their product bleeding red ink. If they can help make the business profitable for Petters, it’ll be like a welfare to work program.

]]> By: jane http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181493 jane Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:53:11 +0000 #comment-181493 Wasn't there talk about not using the term "douchebag" anymore? I believe suggested replacements included: <br /> <br /> F***rag<br /> F***knuckle<br /> C***stain Wasn’t there talk about not using the term “douchebag” anymore? I believe suggested replacements included:

F***rag
F***knuckle
C***stain

]]> By: mnblrmkr http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181492 mnblrmkr Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:52:53 +0000 #comment-181492 Alie, they could, but legally, I believe they're just another holder of unsecured debt, and would be at the end of the creditor line.<br /> <br /> That's why I suggested that maybe wages need to create an automatic lien against company assets. Any transfer of assets would then have to be used to satisfy the wage obligation. Alie, they could, but legally, I believe they’re just another holder of unsecured debt, and would be at the end of the creditor line.

That’s why I suggested that maybe wages need to create an automatic lien against company assets. Any transfer of assets would then have to be used to satisfy the wage obligation.

]]> By: Ang http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181490 Ang Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:46:09 +0000 #comment-181490 Alie, yep. Alie, yep.

]]> By: Mittens http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181488 Mittens Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:44:09 +0000 #comment-181488 Hey, maybe Petters is great with the "charitable endeavors" but that's not what we're talking about here. Why doesn't he spread some of that much-praised "charity" around to his new employees? Sounds like they're going to need it. <br /> Hey, maybe Petters is great with the “charitable endeavors” but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Why doesn’t he spread some of that much-praised “charity” around to his new employees? Sounds like they’re going to need it.

]]> By: aliecat http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181486 aliecat Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:41:12 +0000 #comment-181486 I didn't RTFA, but if they're owed for work already completed, can't they just go to the MN Department of Labor and file a grievance without having to hire an attorney? I didn’t RTFA, but if they’re owed for work already completed, can’t they just go to the MN Department of Labor and file a grievance without having to hire an attorney?

]]> By: mnblrmkr http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181484 mnblrmkr Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:37:03 +0000 #comment-181484 Maybe what needs to happen is a system where backwages create an automatic lien on corporate assets. Mechanics and contractors can place liens on your personal property. Try selling a house with out standing taxes: either the seller or the buyer is going to be on the hook in order to allow the transaction to complete. Maybe what needs to happen is a system where backwages create an automatic lien on corporate assets. Mechanics and contractors can place liens on your personal property. Try selling a house with out standing taxes: either the seller or the buyer is going to be on the hook in order to allow the transaction to complete.

]]> By: g rote http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12842#comment-181483 g rote Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:34:09 +0000 #comment-181483 I certainly hope the state doesn't get involved with douchebag owners. your feminine hygeine is your own business. I certainly hope the state doesn’t get involved with douchebag owners. your feminine hygeine is your own business.

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