Sunday Editor Mike Foley and photographer Brad Horrigan are the latest New Haven Register newsroom employees to received pink slips.
The two learned of their layoffs Tuesday, one day after the newsroom learned that the company was dismissing longtime Editor Jack Kramer.
The layoffs are part of a continuing restructuring of the paper under Matt DeRienzo, the new editorial director for the Journal-Register company’s statewide newspapers. Read a previous story about that here.
No Disrespect for Matt and I said this in my last post, he's obviously getting his marching orders from up top (btw, I also sent them a nice opinion piece which is sure to make it to their circular file). I still think what was done to Jack and Mike was wrong and short of the JRC handing them either a stack of cash or a decent severence pay or a retirement package, nothing will ever change my mind on that fact. I will always remember what the Register obviously does to it's employees. I hold no grudge towards Matt as he is just ... in the JRC's game and I wish him well, I really do, but I hope he has some kind of a safety net for himself as the JRC did this to two prize winning employees. I hope Matt realizes I for one wouldnt put it past the paper to do the same to him when the time comes. What I noticed wasn't said in his reply was howe he really felt about what was done. Did he think firing these guys with years in the biz without doing the right thing and offering them a retirement package instead of an escort to the door and the parking lot was right. I hope both find themselves a nice SECURE place to work. Too bad for the employees that are left behind though as these guys will probably be working for their competition. Jack Kramer and Mike Foley are both well known and respected journalists so even given the market they should be very employable. I hope for the papers sake, that this "Digital First" plan works and that they can actually add jobs to replace those that they cut (maybe even try to hire some of them back if they'll even come back now). Maybe this idea will save the paper, but personally I dont see it happening. I really feel sorry for the rest of my friends there