Union News & Announcements

February 20, 2009

TO: P. Steven Ainsley, Publisher/The Boston Globe
Gregory L. Thornton, Sr. Vice President/Employee Relations
Harriet E. Gould, Vice President/Employee Relations

FROM: Daniel B. Totten, President/BNG

RE: 2009 Boston Globe Editorial buyout

The Boston Newspaper Guild requests the immediate freeze of any current editorial layoff plans contingent to the current 2009 editorial buyout, which seeks employee reduction by 50 people.

The only exception we suggest towards such a freeze being for those employees who desire to accept such buyout completely voluntarily.

The BNG’s request for this freeze is based upon The Globe’s need, obligation and contractual requirement to consider any and all reasonable Guild suggestions as alternatives to layoff. (Article III, Section 1-H, Job Security)

First and foremost, as an alternative The BNG suggests an immediate reduction of all New York Times and Boston Globe management and non-Guild employees’ pay commensurate to their pay level as of December 2006, the date Guild members ratified a wage freeze to provide “relief” to The Globe based on the news media environment at that time.

Such a New York Times/Boston Globe management/exempt/non–Guild wage rollback would provide savings far in excess than the current buyout /layoff contingent will yield.

In addition to the above suggestion, The BNG suggests a buyout to lifetime job guaranteed persons commensurate to the lifetime job guarantee buyouts recently concluded with other Globe unions ($225, 000.00 per person – average for senior most individuals).

Having made these suggestions, the Union remains extremely disappointed in The NYT/Globe’s possible move toward layoff of any further members, as The NYT/Globe has stated repeatedly it is committed to maintaining the “core product” of journalism and remains committed to the people who produce this product.

Any further BNG member reduction not only risks damaging the product quality, but clearly shows a commitment to the core product to be lacking.

Boston Newspaper Guild Executive Officers are available to discuss the above reasonable alternatives to layoff with Globe labor representatives.

We look forward to your prompt reply to this matter, as the current buyout with layoff contingent expires on or about March 27, 2009.

cc: D. Wanger

February 20, 2009