Halifax Chronicle Herald reduces number of layoffs after union concessions

HALIFAX -- The Halifax Chronicle Herald has reached an agreement with the union that represents its newsroom employees to reduce the number of layoffs in exchange for contract concessions.

Ingrid Bulmer, the president of the Halifax Typographical Union, says that since the newspaper announced in October it would lay off 20 newsroom employees, 13 union members and two non-union members took buyouts or early retirement packages.

Bulmer says two more union members took voluntary layoffs.

She says that in exchange for capping the layoff number at two, the union agreed to a week of unpaid leave, a lower mileage rate and a higher contribution to the company's pension plan.

The CEO of the Halifax Chronicle Herald said it had to lay off employees in a bid to cut costs and stem advertising losses.

The newspaper also says Ian Thompson, the paper's associate publisher, will be leaving at the end of the month.