Washington, March 15 'It's the Boston Globe, NOT the Bangalore Globe!' So go ads taken by a leading American daily's biggest labour union in an advertising campaign decrying the paper's plan to outsource the jobs of about 50 workers to India.In radio and print ads that began Monday, the Boston Newspaper Guild urges 'The Boston Globe' readers and advertisers to call the newspaper and its parent company, The New York Times Co., to oppose the move.The Globe, the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts rejected publishing the ad 'because it did not meet our standards,' a brief story in the Boston Globe citing a spokesman said. But its print rival Boston Herald published it.In January, the Times Co.'s New England Media Group launched a buyout programme to cut about 125 jobs at the Globe and Worcester Telegram & Gazette, including those being outsourced. Globe officials said the outsourcing decision is difficult, but necessary for the paper's long-term health.But the union called it an 'egregious mistake' and said outsourcing of its members' jobs to Bangalore, India could dramatically and negatively impact the quality of customer relationships with The Boston Globe.'Further, billing and account information will now be shipped overseas to Bangalore, India, putting customers' most vital information at risk,' it said.The outsourcing decision at the Globe follow reports that The New York Times itself is considering outsourcing jobs in its 'Customer Order Fulfilment' department that processes orders for ads, to India.
(c) Indo-Asian News Service