A union representing workers of the Globe and Mail said contract talks with the newspaper's management broke down at midnight (on Thursday - BD).

Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union representative Brad Honywill told The Canadian Press Friday that there are no planned meetings before the contract expires next Tuesday at midnight.

The move comes less than a week after the editorial, advertising and circulation workers voted 97 per cent in favour of strike action at one of Canada's oldest and most influential newspapers.

Representatives for the paper, which is owned by CTVglobemedia Inc., weren't immediately available for comment.

"This is obviously a very grave disintegration in the process," Honywill said.

Howard Owens wrote a blog post -- Newspapers started small, cheap and with different standards -- and I get a mention in passing!

The Toronto Star's Susan Delacourt on the realities of political journalism on Parliament Hill these days. She got into it by using the anecdote of a soccer game between MPs and parliamentary reporters.

From CP via the Winnipeg Free Press:

A union representing workers of the Globe and Mail says the newspaper's management will email staff on Friday with a "final offer" to replace a contract that expires next week.

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union sent a letter to its members on Thursday saying that Globe representatives informed them that all concessions and changes will be implemented by July 1.

Representatives for the Globe, one of Canada's oldest and most influential newspapers, were not immediately available to confirm the details.

"A membership meeting will be scheduled within the next few days to deal with the company ultimatum," said Brad Honywill, president of Local 87-M of the CEP, said in a phone interview.

Also see this June 20 post: Globe and Mail worker bees give huge strike mandate to bargaining committee