When times are tough, the first employees at any unionized company to feel the negative effects will be the non-union employees simply because they can't put up much of a fight. But when things begin to worsen even more, even union employees will suffer the wrath of reduced budgets, pay cuts, and even furloughs. That is exactly the case at the local Cleveland newspaper, The Plain Dealer, where nearly 450 non-union employees saw pay reductions of 12 percent just a few months ago. Now, about 500 union employees have agreed to pay cuts and furloughs in a desperate attempt to keep the paper afloat.

Reporters, editors, delivery truck drivers, and other members of the Northeast Ohio Newspaper Guild Local 1 and Teamsters Local 473 unions at the PD agreed to 8.1 percent pay cuts, as well as 11 unpaid furlough days to be taken before June 2010.

Workers agreed to the reductions in order to avoid further layoffs. Since last year, 55 union employees have been laid off, and 43 have left voluntarily.

Two groups of union workers did not agree to the wage cuts, including 57 printing press operators represented by Graphic Communications International Union Local 546 and 11 paper handlers represented by the Teamsters. Their decision not to come to an agreement resulted in an immediate impact - a dozen part-time press operators received reduced hours. Paper handlers made it through unscathed as their contract requires that the PD maintain the staffing.

PD Publisher and Editor Terry Egger said that previous layoffs were not enough. He added, "There has been an acceleration in the decline of the economy, which has impacted essentially every category of advertising nationwide." Advertising sales, as we all know, are the life-blood of the newspaper industry.

So, the PD plans to hire additional staff in their advertising sales department, adding 15 to 20 sales positions. Egger hopes it works. But will additional sales reps really be able to drum up sales from tapped out companies hoping to weather their own stormy times?

According to the Plain Dealer, the cuts announced today will ensure labor stability for at least another year. Although as local residents continue to lose their jobs and homes, and as businesses either close up shop or flee the area, one can't help but point out the fault in assuming that business will remain level for the PD. Will these drastic cuts really stave off the inevitable for another year? Will the PD be able to weather the storm, keeping staff and a 7-day newspaper cycle with home delivery? Will subscriptions and ad sales continue to fall off?

Only time will tell. But at the PD and elsewhere, things aren't looking pretty.