Someone passed this along to me anonymously right before I left work. Just got around to reading and…wow.

From The Albany Newspaper Guild’s response to Kristi Gustafson-Barlette’s anti-union comments on her Facebook:

“I find unions protect the weak, and don’t produce viable results. People don’t DESERVE raises, they earn them,” Kristi wrote in response to a reader. She went on to add: “If you believe you should earn more, and your company doesn’t give it to you, then leave — find another job.”

And she is dead wrong about unions, in general and the Guild specifically. Ironically, I remember when Kristi was an editorial assistant and came to me, upset because a member of management had said if she wanted to be a reporter, she should leave, get experience elsewhere and then apply to come back. I told her that two of her colleagues, Bob Gardinier and Dennis Yusko, had been told the same thing. They perserved and became reporters. I advised her to do the same. She did and succeeded.

As someone who has benefitted from being a member of the Guild and seen colleagues laid off, positions left unfilled after departures, and no raises in over five years, you’d think she’d know better.

I didn’t see the comment. I just hope, for her sake, she at least had the common sense to write that on her personal account rather than her work account.

 

5 Responses to Times Union employees & Albany Newspaper Guild take issue with Kristi Gustafson’s anti-union remarks

  1. WilliamFKing says:

    I read this and I find myself feeling offended for her co-workers.

    If I was a co-worker of Kristi’s and she said this I would probably feel like she just verbally bitch slapped me.

  2. WilliamFKing says:

    I read this and I find myself feeling offended for her co-workers.

    If I was a co-worker of Kristi’s and she said this I would probably feel like she just verbally bitch slapped me.

    • WilliamFKing says:

      Not sure why this posted again nearly an hour after I left it the first time, but yes, I only meant to leave this comment once. Sorry for the double post!

      • kevinmarshall says:

        No problem. It’s not you, it’s Disqus. Think it’s having issues. Your comment wasn’t even appearing for a while until just now; now both are appearing. It’s a mystery.

  3. While she’s certainly entitled to her own opinion, Kristi has once again
    proved that she is absolutely ignorant, not only about unions itself
    but in social graces as far as her co-workers go.

    Kristi, if you read this, here’s a few points for you and others who think unions are useless.

    Love to hit the outlets on your days off? Thank your union for winning its workers some days off.

    Need to go to the doctor for medicine? Thank your union for allowing you to get health care coverage.

    Have a pension? Thank your union for making that available to you.

    Ever get hurt on the job, need disability or want to make your workplace
    safer/more secure? Again, thank your union for helping pass safety and
    health laws that protect you.

    And, finally, as for those pay raises? Maybe you think no one deserves
    raises, but most others disagree. Unions have led to employers paying
    fair wages that have allowed people like myself and Kristi’s co-workers
    to go to college and make better lives.

    But of course, unions are a thing of the past for the weak, right, Kristi?

    Do us a favor and stick to shopping.

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