To All Ex-CAT/AM employees who signed Agreements with Restrictive Covenants:
I believe that it is time for you to unite as a group and send a clear message to the corporate entities to abandon enforcement of the agreemants that now are perceived as crippling those who just want to make a living doing what they know best...
You can be anonymous or outspoken, send email or snail-mail, but there are a few reasons that you should send a correspondence to:
Jimmy Hayes
Sandy Schwartz
Buddy Solomon
Joe George
Deborah Thomas
And....Tell everyone you know who is affected to do the same.
Times are tough. You all know that. Many ex-employees who were recognized many times for exemplary performnce over the years are now on the verge of having to cancel or diminish their lifestyles, purge thoughts and aspirations of prosperity, forget about hopes and dreams, and are even facing the prospect of pulling their kids out of college, out of private schools, or even dealing with the reality of losing their homes.
Alot of employees took a "leap of faith" at the time of the big divorce; they were told "that everything was going to be fine" only to then be subjected numerous changes including position eliminations or having to reapply for their jobs as many as 3 times in an 18 month period.
Combined with those agonizing periods of stress,(twice, yes TWICE, around the holidays, mind you) anguish, uncertainty about the future, false hopes and once again, shattered dreams, the least that this "great company" with so many "guiding principles" and evocation of statements about "how our employees make the difference", and all those other really nice attributes that prospective employees seek from a big successful company when they want a new place to call "home", it's time to prove it.
(This is the SAME company that unselfishly jumped in to help victims (as well as it's own employees) of Katrina, Rita and even Ike) That shows great generosity.
(This is also the same company who asked it's employees to go out and volunteer time for the good of others - like the 8 hour challenge, AND THEY DID!) That demonstrates teamwork!
So now, what can this great company do for the ones abandoned and scattered amongst the decaying ruins? Can they actually give back to their own after all of this?
To the CEI Mgmt Teams:
Show some respect, show some good will, and RELEASE every single CAT/AM employee that had to sign an agreement as a condition of their employment, promising that they would not jump ship and go somewhere else,(and they did not, the ship left them), and let them go pursue gainful employment doing what they know best.
So what if it's a competitor? If your own ex-employees don't do it, someone else will! So what difference does it really make?
COX said through it's actions: "PRINT is DEAD", not your employees.
The print media arena has therefore been abandoned through those actions.
CEI,and through the actions of the remaining Execs in charge have selected the "superstars" that they wanted to take along for the rest of the big ride, and cast the rest of the synergy that made it all work aside.
At least let those who you hold no value for do what they do best.
Let them do their part in trying to revive an ailing economy any way they are able.
A magnanimous action on the part of CEI will do far more good for the bottom line than the alternative of slapping restraining orders on those who are just trying to eeek out a living in a cruel and harsh world.
8%+ unemployment??? We have not seen anything yet. 500K jobs lost each month?
Does CEI want to really give back to the communities that it serves?
Let these people go!
So, it's time, my brothers and sisters, to write to the ones who are trying to tie your purse strings and ask to be freed, once and for all.
Jimmy, Sandy, Buddy, Joe and Deborah: You are all great folks, good corporate citizens and just like the rest of us.
I really hope you look at sounding boards and forums like this one, to keep your pulse on what eventually should feed your very souls in the end.
Now, only four little words...
"DO THE RIGHT THING".
Make it a big announcement and be proud.
Let them go out and at least try to survive.(Some might even come back one day when things get better.)
No disparaging remarks, no crude comments, no hateful prose... Just a plea for your ex-employees who gave so much and are asking for so little in return.
