Globe union to Globe management: cut yourselves

In his reply to today's announcement of up to 50 impending newsroom cuts at the Boston Globe, Boston Newspaper Guild president Dan Totten argues that any cuts should focus exclusively on Globe management.

Also noteworthy: according to Totten's email, the new buyout program will be open to all editorial staff, however long they've worked at the paper.

Here's the note Totten emailed to BNG members:

Dear Boston Newspaper Guild Colleagues;

Boston Globe labor representatives met with Boston Newspaper Guild officers in a hastily arranged meeting at 11am this morning in which  it was revealed The Boston Globe intends to reduce the staff in The Boston Globe newsroom (all editorial classifications) by 50 employees,  including Guild / Management / Exempt personnel.

This reduction is in the form of a buyout with a layoff contingent should The Boston Globe not meet it's goal of 50 employees in this  reduction.

While the Boston Newspaper Guild certainly recognizes current national economic difficulties,we also reiterate that the BNG has provided many  millions of dollars in cost savings to The Boston Globe the past few > years in the form of Guild staff reductions.

Although the NYT / Boston Globe made some management cuts this past November 2008, those cuts in no way approach the cost savings provided  by The Boston Newspaper Guild members. It is time for the NYT / Globe to focus on management only cuts.

The terms and conditions of the buyout will be mailed to you by The Globe over the next few weeks. This buyout will be open to all editorial staff, with The Boston Globe  retaining the right of final acceptance/rejection of buyout participants, as in past buyouts.

This buyout will be capped at a total payout of 52 weeks and there is no minimum years of service to be eligible for this buyout, as was  required in some prior buyouts.

Please feel free to contact the BNG for further information : 617 773 3232 or dtotten@bgol.org

We urge you to review all related paperwork you will receive on this matter from The Globe,as prior buyout "data sheets" for indivuduals have contained inaccuracies.We also urge you to review all documents with your financial planner."

Sincerely,

Dan Totten
president, Boston Newspaper Guild
TNG - CWA Local 31245