Update: Boston Newspaper Guild Files Complaint with NLRB; Times Seeks Buyers for Globe

Quincy MA - Dan Totten President of the 1 000 member Boston Newspaper Guild representing 700 editorial advertising and business staff at the Boston Globe announced today that the Guild would file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board to stop Globe management and owner The New York Times Company from imposing a 23 percent pay cut starting next week. Last night union members voted 277 to 265 to reject a contract including severe cuts in wages and benefits. Here is the full statement released by the BNG: "Boston Newspaper Guild members understand the great economic challenge facing the Boston Globe and our entire industry. And they understand that they must make sacrifices – as they have repeatedly done in the past – in order to preserve the Globe and its vital mission of journalism and free speech. But with their vote Monday night Guild members refused to be bullied and said they will not tolerate a punitive attack on their livelihoods. The Boston Newspaper Guild will take all necessary steps to pursue and reach a fair and livable agreement with the New York Times Company. We will also oppose the company’s drastic and extreme move to implement a 23 percent wage cut through any legal means necessary. Today we filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). A hearing in front of the NRLB is scheduled for next Tuesday June 16th. We have scheduled a meeting with the New York Times Company on Monday to begin work toward a realistic and fair agreement on wages benefits and work rules that we believe can be endorsed by this union leadership and passed by all our members. We continue to be heartened by the overwhelming support for Globe workers from New Englanders who appreciate and value the work they do." A spokesperson for the New York Times company could not be reached this evening. Earlier today the company said it had "no interest in bargaining further with the paper’s largest union over a package of concessions and will move ahead with imposing a 23 percent pay cut on members of the Boston Newspaper Guild " according to reports on Boston.com. Declining subscriptions and advertising revenue has affected newspaper corporations and their employees throughout the country. According to the blog Newspaper Meltdown eight U.S. papers have ceased operations since 2007. UPDATE 6/10/09 - In a front page story Wednesday morning Globe reporter Keith O'Brien writes: "The New York Times Co has hired an investment bank to manage the possible sale of The Boston Globe and the company plans to request bids for Boston's major daily in the next couple of weeks according to two people who say they may make offers on the paper." Link to full story on Boston.com. This article is a news brief. Bookmark/Search this post with: Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Reddit Newsvine Facebook Google Yahoo Technorati