Herald Sacks Staffers, Slams Globe

It's some vicious newspaper-on-newspaper action 'round the internet today as the Globe calls out the Herald for slashing jobs as it relocates its printing operations. Publisher Patrick J. Purcells is giving the planned move 90 days for consideration, but would like to have printing services moved by the end of September. Chicopee's Dow Jones & Co. plant will print every edition of the Herald except Saturday's, which will be printed by a Boston Offset press in Norwood. Up to 160 people currently employed by the Herald press could lose their jobs in the move. A Herald insider tells Bostonist that the paper's current press is not even capable of printing accents or diacritics of any sort; hopefully the new presses are at least more diverse in their abilities, if farther away.

The Herald acknowledges its planned layoffs, but also lashes back at the Globe for cutting salaries 10% across the board (ouch!) due to declining ad revenue. Which is worse: low pay or no job at all? We've never experienced a pay cut (rap wood), but can't imagine being expected to produce work of the same caliber for less money. At least being laid off gets you unemployment benefits, as well as free time and the chance to look for a better job--y'know, one that's not in a dying industry.

Photo of the Herald fleet tagged Bostonist by AntyDiluvian on Flickr