Globe staff invites Sulzberger to meet in Boston

Dear Mr. Sulzberger,

Thank you very much for your response. It's nice to know that we can talk to each other.

The purpose of our letter was not to substitute for negotiations but to appeal for your leadership, an appeal to find common ground. Many of us who have long admired your family and its legacy have yearned to hear from you directly, without the subterfuge of lawyers and legal posturing. Again, we believe you care deeply about the work we do, and we know you understand how vital it is to Boston.

At the same time, we hope you appreciate the devastating consequences of a 23 percent pay cut - how it will completely upend the lives of those who have worked at the Globe for years, some of whom have literally risked their lives to report the news.

We know there's been a lot of heated rhetoric, but we believe you're better than allowing negotiating tactics to lead to this outcome – reporters losing their homes or having to leave jobs they love because they can't afford to raise their families. The solution should be simple: Parity in cuts between the staff and management.

We're also gratified to hear that you share our commitment to making the Globe stronger and more viable - we weren't sure about this when we learned on our front page a few months ago that the Times had threatened to close the Globe - and we want to work with you to cut costs and plan for the future.

Finally, we invite you to come to Boston, to speak to us and hear from us directly. Your family has responded to countless challenges to newspapers, and there’s no reason we can’t succeed together now. We're asking for you to lead us through these hard times, with the transparency and empathy reflected in your letter.

All the best,

Concerned Reporters at The Boston Globe

SOURCE: Jim Romenesko