Oklahoman offers ‘paid volunteer leave’ for employees campaigning for MAPS 3

[urbanity]

Oklahoman offers ?paid volunteer leave? for employees campaigning for MAPS 3 | OKG Scene.com

[PennyQuilts]

I guess that is putting money where their mouth is. I appreciate when someone does something tangible to advance something.

[soonerguru]

The Oklahoman is a private enterprise and its ownership is entitled to offer whatever it wants to its employees.

[Spartan]

We all know that the Oklahoman's brass is in support of MAPS. You can learn that from their editorial page. The Gazette is also fairly pro-MAPS, but the Gazette has been asking a lot more critical questions than the Oklahoman has.

I think though that the Gazette article about the Oklahoman's offer to its employees is a somewhat misleading attempt to point out unprofessional journalism on the part of their main competitor. The Oklahoman offers paid volunteer leave for doing a lot of things out in the community because it makes them look good.

In fact I wouldn't be surprised if they offered paid volunteer leave for campaign AGAINST (although I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't either, it's just a possibility). I would reckon though that the Oklahoman, probably a large bastion of non fire/police union workers, doesn't have too many AGAINST the measure.

I would certainly hope that the Gazette also offers paid volunteer leave to employees who are volunteering in the community, at least for non-political volunteer gigs, which is what applies to the Oklahoman's newsroom.

[gmwise]

The Oklahoman hasnt been professional in journalism in recent history.

[Wambo36]

The Oklahoman is a private enterprise and its ownership is entitled to offer whatever it wants to its employees.

Yes, but unfortunately it masquerades as a forum for professional journalism also. I guess no one should be suprised when the head of the Chamber of Commerce is the head of the local paper also. I wonder how many other times the employees have been offered this option or is this just a one shot deal. I know what I'd bet on.

[gmwise]

Yes, but unfortunately it masquerades as a forum for journalism also. I guess no one should be suprised when the head of the Chamber of Commerce is the head of the local paper also. I wonder how many other times the employees have been offered this option or is this just a one shot deal. I know what I'd bet on.

lol good bet.

[Spartan]

Yes, but unfortunately it masquerades as a forum for professional journalism also. I guess no one should be suprised when the head of the Chamber of Commerce is the head of the local paper also. I wonder how many other times the employees have been offered this option or is this just a one shot deal. I know what I'd bet on.

The newsroom, aka the arm of the Oklahoman that "masquerades as a forum for professional journalism" was informed to disregard the memo and has never gotten paid volunteer leave for political campaigns in the past, either.

You would have known that if you read the article, instead you chose to leave a comment that showed how woefully uninformed you are. Keep 'em coming I suppose.

[Wambo36]

lol good bet.

Yeah, I've got family that works in management there. I think I already know the answer.

[Wambo36]

The newsroom, aka the arm of the Oklahoman that "masquerades as a forum for professional journalism" was informed to disregard the memo and has never gotten paid volunteer leave for political campaigns in the past, either.

You would have known that if you read the article, instead you chose to leave a comment that showed how woefully uninformed you are. Keep 'em coming I suppose.

Well since your so informed on the daily operation of the local paper, answer the question. I don't care if it's the newsroom, the print room or the delivery people. I don't care which employment division you pull them from. How often have they been offered this option in the past?

[rcjunkie]

The Police and Fire Union Presidents are paid by the City and they are free to voice their oposistion, how is that OK.

[gmwise]

The Police and Fire Union Presidents are paid by the City and they are free to voice their opposition, how is that OK.

I think they're paid by union dues?!

[Doug Loudenback]

Good for the Gazette for publishing this on a non-publication (today, they generally publish on Wednesdays) day. Here's a crop of the part that I found most interesting ...



You will note my comment. I have maintained all along, and do today, that the blending of the press and government has been and is an inappropriate conflict of interest, particularly so when editorial policy influences its news gathering and dissemination, which it has.

At least one person in the OPUBCO organization who is in a position of authority would seem to agree.

ON EDIT: The Gazette's story has now been expanded to report on Thompson's response.

[Doug Loudenback]

Additionally, this was reported in Poynter On-Line. Wikipedia says that the Poynter Institute ... Poynter Institute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ...

The Poynter Institute is a school and resource for journalism located in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is the owner of the company that publishes the St. Petersburg Times and Florida Trend Magazine. It is in close proximity to the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library on the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus. It was founded in May 1975 by Nelson Poynter, chairman of the St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly bearing the name Modern Media Institute. [1] In 1984 it changed to The Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

There are 2 links to Poynter On-Line about this:

The main article (which does not include the follow-up stuff) ... not that the article's "tag" is "Ethics"

The feedback page which includes a good bit more.

[Wambo36]

I think the biggest problem is the implied expectation that their employees should use their 3 days of "community volunteer time" to support this cause. I wonder if an employee wanted to use their time to campaign against MAPS if the offer still stood. It certainly didn't say it would.

[Urban Pioneer]

I think they're paid by union dues?!

The union heads are paid by taxpayers. Phil Sipe (fire) is paid $98,000 and his total benefits package costs the taxpayers $120,000. Gil Hensley (police) is paid $91,000 and his total; benefits package costs the taxpayers $115,000. In the current police contract negotiations that are the root of all this mess, the police are demanding a SECOND taxpayer-funded union employee.

Back to putting up more signs.

[gmwise]

The union heads are paid by taxpayers. Phil Sipe (fire) is paid $98,000 and his total benefits package costs the taxpayers $120,000. Gil Hensley (police) is paid $91,000 and his total; benefits package costs the taxpayers $115,000. In the current police contract negotiations that are the root of all this mess, the police are demanding a SECOND taxpayer-funded union employee.

Back to putting up more signs.

Are they not working in those respected positions?
I mean do they not work as firefighters and police officers that serve duty?

[MikeOKC]

For MAPS3 (I am, with reservations) or against MAPS3....this is an embarrassment.

Many corporations have volunteer day compensation, but they certainly don't include political campaigns in that definition! It's to work for groups that need volunteers to supplement United Way funds (as an example). For this to be a newspaper who has been editorially over-the-top on this election offering this to employees is unbelievable. For this to be a newspaper whose publisher is the Chamber head in the MAPS campaign makes it beyond belief.

As Doug pointed out, this is getting national attention for the blatant ethical issues involved. Is there no shame from these people who seem to show a desperation for passage of this thing?

I'm voting YES despite the incestuous and good old boy club giving me every reason not to.

Maybe the Washington Post will issue a memo in 2012 allowing employees a day off to volunteer for (what they would say) is the all-important re-election of President Obama. Wouldn't we all think that would be despicable? Yet, some seem to think the city's daily newspaper, published by the chamber head, to issue a similar memo on an election of self-interest is somehow okay???? Really????

[Spartan]

So Mike, where were you when the Washington Post let all of their workers off for the inauguration?

It's just the way that newspapers are getting to be these days man. Journal Record > Gazette > Oklahoman (sans Lackmeyer who is a GREAT writer/reporter).

[MikeOKC]

So Mike, where were you when the Washington Post let all of their workers off for the inauguration?

It's just the way that newspapers are getting to be these days man. Journal Record > Gazette > Oklahoman (sans Lackmeyer who is a GREAT writer/reporter).

If they did it for Obama and didn't for Bush, it's wrong. But not nearly as bad as them paying employees their salaries with a memo telling them they can go campaign for Obama on the company dime.

Really, I'm honestly blown away that ANYBODY (for or against this MAPS election) can defend this. It's simply a memo that will embarrass The Oklahoman for years to come, as well it should.

[Spartan]

Well I think that Kelly Fry needs to be promoted, because if NOT for her, the Oklahoman would be looking much, much worse than it is now.

[Urban Pioneer]

I think they're paid by union dues?!

No, they do not work as police or fire officers, they work solely as union bosses, officing out of their union lodges.

[jbrown84]

The union heads are paid by taxpayers. Phil Sipe (fire) is paid $98,000 and his total benefits package costs the taxpayers $120,000. Gil Hensley (police) is paid $91,000 and his total; benefits package costs the taxpayers $115,000.

Geez. No wonder we can't afford more cops. Pretty ridiculous salary for someone who didn't even need to graduate high school to qualify.

[jbrown84]

Maybe the Washington Post will issue a memo in 2012 allowing employees a day off to volunteer for (what they would say) is the all-important re-election of President Obama. Wouldn't we all think that would be despicable?

A partisan election with candidates involved is a whole other story. Plus, the newsroom--the journalists are excluded from this offer, so I don't see the issue.

[MikeOKC]

A partisan election with candidates involved is a whole other story. Plus, the newsroom--the journalists are excluded from this offer, so I don't see the issue.

Oh, I very much disagree. If anything, it's worse than any election for a candidate! In local elections ballot/tax initiatives are far more important than any single office. Especially in Oklahoma City when the elective offices take a back seat in a Council/Manager form of local government. These come with big contracts for local business who have connections with the head of the chamber, who led for the MAPS 3 campaign and is also publisher of the newspaper! The journalists being excluded, I am guessing, was a second thought after the storm of criticism began. But regardless, the newspaper has many employees beyond the journalists and putting them to use as a ground army in a GOTV operation and at the same time publishing the city's only daily newspaper is just wrong.

Hey, I'm for MAPS! But I fail to see why other people supporting MAPS can't admit that this crosses the line. It's an incestuous relationship involved with electoral politics, and whether that's for a candidate or for an initiative with lucrative contracts....it's wrong.