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.