We’re not on strike

I just heard on the news that the employees of The New York Times went on a 24-hour strike for “a fair contract.” I won’t go into any details, as I am sure most of our readers have already heard this little tidbit of news; but as I listened to what was happening with this daily American newspaper, which has a circulation about 500 times that of The Madera Tribune, I couldn’t help but think of our very own community newspaper and the awesome staff who work hard to publish twice a week a newspaper that our community loves.

It’s never hard for me to write a column that brags about the employees of The Madera Tribune. When I heard about that gigantic newspaper that has a staff of people who probably barely even know each other, my mind told me, “Nancy, you MUST write another piece about your Tribune family.”

I may have said this before in my column, but I tend to make families every where I am. I have my real family (blood relatives), my church family, my Friends of the Library family, and my neighborhood family, as well as other “families” in my life. The family I spend most of my time with these days is my Tribune family.

We are truly like a family. We spend more time together than many blood-related families. We have cried together, and we have rejoiced together. We get mad with each other, and then glad with each other. We have had some very stressful times, and have gotten through them. Throughout the pandemic, we trudged through, in spite of all the obstacles. When we had to work apart, it was hard. We are better working together.

Although we have some extremely varied personalities at the Tribune, our common passions are the Tribune itself, and the community of Madera. We love both.

Just looking at the front page of the paper, and reading the inside will convince most readers of our love for this community, with the pictures of families, schools, local businesses, children, community events, and local news.

Our goal, as we work together, is to continue this local community newspaper as long as it is possible to do. It is no secret that newspapers struggle these days, as social media has taken over the attention of many readers, like a virus. But our late editor and publisher, Chuck Doud, believed that the printed newspaper would never die.

The Madera Tribune does not compete with the national newspapers. We focus on our beloved community of Madera and Madera County. As long as we have enough readers, advertisers, and supporters who love us and love what we do for our community, we will serve.

When I hear news such as employee strikes, in which the staff of a company, especially a newspaper, is unhappy with the management or their working conditions, or their pay and benefits, I know there is not a staff family relationship.

I wish I could pay our staff what the New York Times staff is asking to be paid, and I am pretty sure our staff would love that kind of pay. I wonder, though, if the NYT folks actually receive what they are asking, would they then be happy? Would they love their jobs and the company and feel that it is a family? Does the management care about the employees as if they are family?

I love our Tribune family, and I hope they love me. As this year comes to a close, I want all of them to know how much I appreciate each one of them. Each has a talent that is his or her own. I am in awe of their passion to keep publishing this newspaper to serve the community. Thank you, Wendy, Ben, Chris, Tyler, Shirley, Patrick, Juan, Leonard, Carlos, Katrina, Corrie, Christy, Tami Jo, Nugesse, Bill, and Jon.

If you know any of the staff of The Madera Tribune, please let them know you appreciate them, too.

— My love to all,

Nancy

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“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

— Psalm 133:1