The Chronicle Herald has committed to avoid a lock out their newsroom employees as part of a last-ditch effort to come to an agreement between management and the union.
The two sides were meeting again Wednesday to try to come to an agreement and avoid a lockout or strike.
Herald management says the Halifax Typographical Union (HTU) didn’t provide meaningful concessions and the talks have ended. However, HTU maintains they gave “major concessions” that were rejected.
“As a result, the union intends to immediately file a 48-hour strike notice,” reads an HTU release posted on Facebook.
The release says HTU members offered a five per cent wage cut and two year freeze, a 25 per cent starting salary reduction for new reporters and photographers and a reduction in vacation time, among other concessions.
“Management fully rejected these concessions and informed the union they plan to impose a new set of working conditions as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday,” the statement reads.
READ MORE: The Chronicle Herald breaks off talks with newsroom staff
The Herald management says they are open to continue negotiations, as long as employees don’t go on strike.
“We’ve said from day one that we do not want to see our colleagues on the picket line,” VP Administration of Nancy Cook said in a statement.
“We haven’t reached an agreement but we are willing to continue to try.”
The Chronicle Herald wants to lay off photographers, impose a wage freeze and lengthen the reporters work day.
According to the union’s twitter, they too want to reach a deal so the writers and photographers can get back to work.
The release from management states the last offer presented to employees will be the basis of employment until a contract can be reached.
The statement also says that the terms management has presented are terms that the union representing local newsroom employees has accepted on behalf of other media companies including the Ottawa Citizen.
The newspaper employees say they are willing to continue negotiating, but maintains the changed management is proposing are “nothing short of union-busting.”
“In essence, if we were to agree to their demands, we would be giving away all job security, some access to severance pay and layoff protection tied to seniority,” reads the HTU statement.
HTU also says that in the event of a lock out, employees will launch a news website to be called Local Xpress. They also ask readers and advertisers to suspend their subscriptions and ads until one is reached.
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