Teamsters protest 32 layoffs at Inquirer building
Members of Teamsters Local 628 rallied outside the offices of The Inquirer, the Daily News and Philly.com Tuesday protesting the layoffs of 20 building-services employees and 12 security guards as of July 1.In a statement sent to all employees, Interstate General Media L.L.C., publisher and chief executive Robert J. Hall said the layoffs are connected to the company's relocation later this month from 400 N. Broad St., which it sold last year, to leased office space at 801 Market St. Hall noted that it is common practice for landlords to provide maintenance and security services in Center City buildings, and that provision of those services is part of PMN's lease with building owner Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust. In an interview, John P. Laigaie, president of Local 628, said he was not happy with how management has handled these latest layoffs. All labor contracts with the publishing company expire in October, except for the one that covers Local 10 of the Newspaper Guild, which extends into 2013.
Members of Teamsters Local 628 rallied outside the offices of The Inquirer, the Daily News and Philly.com Tuesday protesting the layoffs of 20 building-services employees and 12 security guards as of July 1.
In a statement sent to all employees, Interstate General Media L.L.C., publisher and chief executive Robert J. Hall said the layoffs are connected to the company's relocation later this month from 400 N. Broad St., which it sold last year, to leased office space at 801 Market St. Hall noted that it is common practice for landlords to provide maintenance and security services in Center City buildings, and that provision of those services is part of PMN's lease with building owner Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust.
In an interview, John P. Laigaie, president of Local 628, said he was not happy with how management has handled these latest layoffs. All labor contracts with the publishing company expire in October, except for the one that covers Local 10 of the Newspaper Guild, which extends into 2013.
Formal negotiations on new collective-bargaining agreements between the company, the Teamsters, and eight other unions have not begun.