A Boston Globe insider led me to this Twitter page, purportedly by retired General Electric chief executive Jack Welch, who was interested in buying the Globe back when the New York Times Co. wasn’t selling. Check this message out:
So ironic to see NYT act so brutish toward labor. Certainly would be crucifying any Company with labor practices like theirs.
Not quite getting the point? Here’s a Welch (or “Welch”) update:
My New York Times labor tweet a few min ago refers to their BRUTISH dark age labor relations with their Boston Globe employees
There is nothing obviously fake about the Welch Twitter page. It’s mostly about sports, and the site links to his book. Times business columnist Joe Nocera recently wrote that Welch has a Twitter account, though Nocera didn’t supply the address. I think this is Welch, although I’m open to evidence that it isn’t.
Which raises an obvious question. Is Welch still interested in buying the Globe? If so, is this a ploy to reach out to employees?
Granted, I’m not sure what the logic would be. It’s management he needs to reach out to.
*Update: Dave Hersam nails it. It really is Welch.
Update II: The Boston Newspaper Guild has now sent out an e-mail publicizing Welch’s tweets.
Update III: Welch is certainly not my idea of a white knight for the Globe. Click here and here.
Photo (cc) by Josh Greenstein and republished here under a Creative Commons license. Some rights reserved.
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GFS3
You realize, of course, that Jack earned the nickname Neutron Jack because of the mass of layoffs he ordered when head of GE?
Dan Kennedy
GFS3: Oh, yes indeed. He also was a bullying, belligerent chief executive of NBC and MSNBC who sought to impose his views on the news on more than one occasion. Click on "Jack Welch" in the labels for more.
Rick in Duxbury
My father worked a blue collar job at GE Riverworks in Lynn when Jack ran it. He was laid off at 55 with 35 years service. Jack, shut the f@#& up. You have no credibility criticizing the ethics of others.
bostonmediawatch
Maybe Chainsaw Al can get into a bidding war with Neutron Jack.Jack Welch tweeting about BRUTISH management and the newspaper guild touting his twit?Surely I am reading this in an alternate brane.
lkcape
Gee, Dan, I somehow think that you don't get a vote as to whether or not Welch buys The Globe.But then again, if he does, you may have a bit of job security as a media blogger.
noternie
I think he's simply calling them hypocrites. Clearly he's not happy with the NYTimes treatment of him and his behavior in this regard. He's probably also a little sore they wouldn't consider selling him the Globe when they could've gotten a good price for it.I don't read it as him trying to claim the moral high ground, just telling the NYT they don't deserve it, either.To paraphrase, while borrowing from Tony Montana: "Look atchoo now!"
Blue Thong
I tend to agree with noternie, but-why not go to the source and ask Jack to elaborate???