'These Staff Reductions Are Due, In Part, to Our Productivity Initiatives'

TCS Daily ^ | 9/1/2006 | Jerry Bowyer

[Jane2005]

The median hourly wage for American workers has declined 2 percent since 2003, after factoring in inflation. The drop has been especially notable, economists say, because productivity -- the amount that an average worker produces in an hour and the basic wellspring of a nation's living standard -- has risen steadily over the same period. -- "Real Wages Fail to Match a Rise in Productivity" by Steven Greenhouse and David Leonhardt, The New York Times, August 28th, 2006

We decreased the size of our workforce, beginning last summer, by approximately 200 positions. In September, we announced the elimination of another 500 positions ...These staff reductions are due, in part, to our productivity initiatives. -- New York Times Company, 2005 Annual Report, New York Times Company

"Real Wages Fail to Match a Rise in Productivity" by Steven Greenhouse and David Leonhardt is one of those big idea pieces that bounces around the blogosphere and local editorial pages. Already furrowed brows are furrowed even more deeply at the revelation that wages and salaries hadn't kept pace with productivity gains.

[ClaireSolt]

To me, this is a lot of doublespeak. What you see is not what you get. Don't believe the numbers on your paycheck or the bills you get when you cash it. We know best. Vote for dems.

[Bigh4u2]

"These staff reductions are due, in part, to our productivity initiatives."

Translation:"We're losing readers so we had to fire people because we can't afford to keep them on anymore."