Can you do me a quick favor?

(I am not asking you for money don't worry!)

I had a dream last night that I was a passenger on the Titanic. In the dream everyone was eerily calm. I had a life raft for a moment and then lost it. So me and my friends were just sort of hanging out on the ship, waiting for it to sink. This morning I learned that more of my friends are losing their jobs. It’s a little on the nose, tbh.

Maybe my subconscious is feeling resigned to the waves of bad industry news, but in my waking hours I don’t feel dejected. That’s in large part due to the fight against layoffs at New York Public Radio.

ICYMI: New York Public Radio CEO LaFontaine Oliver announced last week that due to a drop in donations and advertising, 12 percent of staff will be laid off. Staffers will find out if they still have jobs later this week.

Unlike the people in my dream, standing around on the deck, watching water rush in, the NYPR Union has taken action. They’ve launched a petition asking executives to say no to layoffs and explore options that would preserve jobs and ensure the fiscal health of the organization. They also shared this presentation which makes the argument that layoffs will hurt the company longterm.

Here’s why I think you should sign that petition:

• It takes 30 seconds and costs nothing!

• NYPR executives’ annual bonuses are more than I made in a year while I was working at WNYC. They’ve forgone those bonuses this year. But they could do more, like taking a pay cut. Other nonprofit news executives are taking a pay cut, why can’t NYPR’s?

• Seriously, look the executive pay on page nine.

• I often ask people in my interviews what kind of industry they want for people who are just starting out. Here’s my answer: I want the kind of industry that explores every possible option before cutting people off from their income and health insurance.

• I love my former co-workers at WNYC and I want to keep listening to the work they produce.

I hope you’ll take a moment to sign the petition.

Thanks for reading all of this. I’ll be back with a normal issue of Starting Out later this month.

<3

Alice