Gannett staffers must take unpaid furloughs

Jim Hopkins reports on his blog that Gannett Co. is asking every employee in its U.S. Community Publishing Operating Committee to take five days off without pay.
In a memo posted on the blog, Gannett Newspaper Division president Bob Dickey told employees:

As a result of your feedback, and in an effort to minimize the need for more layoffs, I have decided to take another approach as we enter 2009. To that end, every non-represented employee in the USCP division will be furloughed for five business days during this quarter. That includes me, your publisher, everyone. Unions will be asked to accept furloughs in lieu of layoffs. We all will be sharing the financial hardship.