Writing Boots

When President Reagan summarily replaced striking air traffic control workers almost three decades ago the job of people in employee communications and other employee relations posts got a little simpler, and stayed that way, as no president in the interim ever sided publicly with workers in any labor dispute.

Now we have this sit-in at this window plant in Chicago because the company is trying to get out of union rules specifying a 60-day layoff notice and president-elect Obama says, "When it comes to the situation here in Chicago with the workers who are asking for their benefits and payments they have earned, I think they are absolutely right."

And with that, things just got that much more complicated again for internal communicators, who now at the very list must add to their list of murder board questions for executives, "But even the U.S. president thinks it's management's responsibility to …."

That much more complicated for employee communication people—and that much more interesting.

Dad notes a Dayton TV commercial wishing viewers a "stress-free holiday."

“Over the last year, we have made significant progress internally on transitioning Tribune into an entrepreneurial company that pursues innovation and stronger ways of serving our customers,” Mr. Zell, who holds the titles of Tribune chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, at the same time, factors beyond our control have created a perfect storm — a precipitous decline in revenue and a tough economy coupled with a credit crisis that makes it extremely difficult to support our debt."