Toronto Star offshores its classifed department...to Buffalo

The Toronto Star is letting go 27 of the 32 Star employees in its classified advertising department and outsourcing the work to a firm in Buffalo.

"This latest attack on its own employees goes against every principle the Star upholds in its editorials," said Maureen Dawson, who chairs the Star unit of the Southern Ontario Newsmedia Guild. "The newspaper that calls itself the voice of the little people is sending jobs across the lake to another country? In the middle of a recession? This is the height of hypocrisy. Shame."

The Guild said in its release that it had already opened an employment Action Centre at its local office on Queen St. E. to handle the 38 other employees from a recent round of layoffs in the Star advertising department. Dawson said the Star agreed to delay formal layoff notices to employees for two weeks while alternatives are discussed with the union, as required by contract, and volunteers sought for layoffs.

"We don't even understand Star math anymore," said Dawson. "The company says it will save $1.5 million a year, but the targeted employees only earn $1.3 million in total, and that's being generous. This is about shedding jobs, period, without regard for alternatives or loyalty or the principles we thought we operated under. It's a sad, sad day in Star history."