Starting August 1, the left-wing Ohio newspaper, The Toledo Blade, intends to lay off about 130 of its unionized employees due to a permanent shutdown of its Toledo production center that handles printing and inserting.
Stephen B. Spolar, vice president of human resources and labor relations for Block Communications Inc., owner of The Blade, won’t say where the newspaper would be printed after the closure. This has led to speculation that The Blade might be in the process of moving to an online only operation.
In 2013, The Blade lost $8.5 million and has been losing millions for years. As of now there are no plans that will affect the advertising and news-gathering departments.
In 2012, The Toledo Blade urged it readers to re-elect President Obama, arguing in part that “He has dealt effectively with economic recession at home[.]”
In 2008, The Blade endorsed Obama with a cry for change: “Like the choice 76 years ago, next month’s election is one in which voters have the power to cast aside the failed, greed-driven principles of governance and economics that have led to the current downturn and return to an equilibrium in which hard work is again rewarded by a decent standard of living for the average American.”
The production facility closing August 1 has been in operation since 1927.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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