Globe and Mail journalists reject contract offer
Journalists and other unionized staff at the Globe and Mail rejected the latest contract offer by the newspaper's management Wednesday night, but reporters with the newspaper said the two sides will return to the bargaining table soon.
Simon Houpt, the Globe’s media writer, tweeted there would be “no strike or lockout for the time being.”
Earlier Wednesday night, Unifor, the union that represents newspaper staff, said 92.3 per cent of Globe employees who voted on the latest contract offer rejected it.
Neither the union nor Globe and Mail management offered more details on the talks.
Reporter Robyn Doolittle, however, tweeted that the next meeting would take place next Tuesday, and it would be “work as usual” until then.
The rejected contract reportedly included a management requirement that editorial staff produce branded content, often known as advertorial.
Unifor's leaders had recommended against accepting the contract.
On Wednesday afternoon, Globe management erected a metal fence outside the newspaper’s Toronto offices. There was no immediate comment about the purpose of the fence, but many suggested it would serve to keep journalists out if there was a lockout.
Business reporter Eric Atkins tweeted this picture of the fence as workers put it up.
The newspaper is prepared to keep publishing even if there was a strike or lockout, according to management.
There were also reports earlier this week that Globe reporters would start an alternate publication if they are locked out, something journalists at other Canadian newspapers have done in the past.
Beginning in 2009, journalists at the Journal de Montréal were locked out for 25 months, during which time they produced an alternative publication called Rue Frontenac.
It's possible striking or locked out Globe staff would move their work online. The URL www.globenation.com currently redirects to the Unifor website.
Earlier this week, writers removed their bylines from stories for one day as a protest.
