SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Members of the California Media Guild voted 10 to 1 Saturday afternoon in favor of a deal which will open the door for the Hearst Corporation to lay off 150 people at the San Francisco Chronicle in order to save the cash-strapped newspaper, according to union president and Chronicle reporter Michael Cabanatuan.
“It’s going to be sad, I know, but we can move forward, we are the Chronicle,” said Cabanatuan.
The contract, approved by the Newspaper Guild will cut hundreds of jobs, including many in the newsroom, to prevent another year of losses. Hearst says the paper lost $50 million and has not been in the black since 2001.
It was a somber moment when the board announced the vote. Chronicle Columnist Chuck Nevius said it will be hard to see such a large number of their staff go.
“Friends, and colleagues and co-workers, and some really passionate people are going to walk out the door very soon, and we know that they’re taking with them some experience but [that] they’re walking into a situation where they have mortgages and college tuitions, and they have families and kids in a tough job market,” said Nevius.
Hearst has strongly considered shutting down the 144-year-old daily if the paper's other union, Teamsters, does not approve the new contract.
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