Herald-ing the Globe’s woes

Looks like at least a few Boston Globe staff members are mighty unhappy at their union leaders for keeping them in the dark. Boston Herald media reporter Jessica Heslam writes that the Globe’s Donovan Slack e-mailed her co-workers last Friday demanding some accountability:

With all due respect, I’m starting to wonder about our union leadership and whether we are going in the right direction. Would appreciate your immediate candor about what is being asked of us and exactly what actions you are taking.

The Herald also publishes the entire “Book of Life” (PDF) — 340 Globe employees (some who are no longer there) with lifetime contracts, thought to be a considerable stumbling block in paring the Globe’s expenses and/or preparing it for sale.

In another Herald piece, reporters Jerry Kronenberg and Christine McConville quote former Globe staffer Doug Bailey, who speculates that the New York Times Co. will simply fold some Boston-area news into the New England edition of its flagship paper.

And Eileen McNamara, a former Globe columnist and Pulitzer winner, weighs in with a Herald commentary today whose headline — “Times Pimps, Pillages Globe” — is a pretty accurate reflection of her rage.

My respect for McNamara notwithstanding, her it’s hard to share her anger when the entire business is collapsing — and when other newspaper companies are in even worse shape.