Release:

Talks between The Chronicle Herald and its 61 striking newsroom employees broke down Monday when the Herald insisted it wants senior unionized editors moved to a non-union production centre.

After one year at their current rate of pay, the production centre editors would earn $20,000 to $30,000 less annually.

Almost all the editors have been with the company for more than 25 years.

The newsroom unionized in 1999 over two issues: to get rid of a 10-year wage freeze and to eliminate glaring wage disparities like those the Herald wants to bring back.

The company proposal would affect page technicians, copy editors, page designers and the senior design editor.

No further talks are scheduled at this time.

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