TORONTO, March 4 /CNW/ - The Toronto Star's top union leader is urging
Torstar CEO Rob Prichard to cover the financial losses of close to 50 staff
who received layoff notices today.
"If this organization can pay our friend Rob a package of $8 to $11
million to leave his CEO chair in May, he can certainly afford to help our
colleagues, the ones paying the price today for his mistakes," said Maureen
Dawson, Star unit chair for the Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild, a local of
the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada.
Roughly one-quarter of the Toronto Star's unionized Advertizing
department staff received layoff notices today. The 38 employees, among 46 to
be pink-slipped by the company this week, represent more than 280 years of
service to Star advertising clients.
The only department left untouched by this most recent round of layoffs
at Canada's largest daily newspaper is the Editorial department.
"This newspaper cannot survive these tough times without its Advertising
department staff coming through," said Dawson, herself a career Star
advertising salesperson. "We obviously think these layoffs are short-sighted,
but we've also challenged management to demonstrate how this move helps to
create better advertising service, for clients and the newspaper."
For further information: Maureen Dawson, (416) 861-1197, cell: (416)
209-6967
