stevemullis[dot]net

Hat tip: Danny Sanchez

In a huge purge Torstar Corp., owners of Canada’s largest-circulation newspaper, the Toronto Star, is laying off 160 people, including the entire 10-person Web team. This comes as a shock during a time where one would think the Web team might be the safest place to be (at least I’m hoping so, *gulp*).

Most of the job cuts, taken through severance packages, were already expected, but laying off the 10-person Internet staff came as a surprise, said Maureen Dawson, an official with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada.

“Their message to the world is that they’re all dedicated to the Internet, but then they lay off the whole department,” she told The Canadian Press.

“The Star has said they would tell us in the coming weeks where the (Internet) work would go. We have an idea where one or two of the positions would go – but not all of it.”

“I don’t think it’s clear where it’s going for them either.”

I’m not sure if Torstar Corp. knows it or not, but Google hasn’t created a Web product just yet that eliminates the need for a Web staff. They might want to keep around a person or two. You know, someone that at least knows HTML or something. More:

But some industry critics suggested that the newspaper would try to shuffle out its older workers, and hire younger and cheaper workers, rather than train all of the veteran staff on new technology like online video.

“We see this trend of seeking to get the older employees out and bringing in new employees,” said Lise Lareau, the national president of the Canadian Media Guild, which does not represent the Star.

“Training becomes an issue. There’s ways of addressing this other than by (voluntarily laying off) the older staff and bringing in newer staff.”

Wait a minute, so there’s openings in Toronto. Robin, to the Canadian consulate, passport at the ready!