Sun-Times Building Empty, Employees May Strike

By Rachelle Bowden in News on Oct 18, 2004 11:44AM

The Sun-Times building is pretty much empty now and ready for demolition. Chicagoist walks by the building every day and while usually the blinds are drawn, some of the blinds are up now showing the vandalism that employees did before leaving. We saw cubes with employees names written on them along with the dates they worked in the building, writing on walls that said "We're Outta Here," and even holes smashed in some office walls. Not sure if employees were bitter about moving or just having a little destructive fun since the building is being knocked down anyway.

All this is right in time for the finalization of the sale of the building to Donald Trump on Friday. The closing of the transaction between The Donald & Hollinger International gives Trump full control over the property where he plans to build Trump International Hotel & Tower. Already he has sold a record-setting $500 million worth of units. It seems kind of redic, knowing that the Sun-Times building is still there and not even the first brick of the Trump Tower has been laid, but maybe that's just us. The tower is planned to be 90-stories with 461 residences and 227 hotel condos. Also in the designs are a huge health club, a spa, 2 ballrooms, a conference center, stores, 1,000 parking spots, and a park on the river.

In other Sun-Times news, employees have set a strike deadline for this Wednesday. Union members have been working without a contract since September 30 and have made no progress in contract negotiations for more than 180 union reporters, copy editors and editorial staff. They're seeking a 3-year contract with a 7.5% raise in the first year and 5% raises the 2nd and 3rd years. The newspaper has offered a 2% raise the 1st and 2nd years and a 1.75% raise the last year. The union's raise requests seem kind of high, but if we were working there we'd be pretty pissed and making demands, knowing that the company has been rolling in the scandals of both inflated circulation numbers and the having the big boss, Conrad Black, allegedly stealing $400 million of the newspaper's profits.