According to an AP story in the Rutland Herald, MediaNews has added the Reformer to the growing list of newspapers in the chain requiring employees to take an unpaid week off.

MediaNews is asking "300 hourly and salaries employees to take unpaid one-week furloughs in a cost-cutting measure." The article says this would have an impact on Brattleboro Reformer, Bennington Banner, North Adams Transcript, The Berkshire Eagle, and The Advocate.

This isn't entirely unexpected. MediaNews furloughed 3,300 employees in California recently, as well as employees at other papers in New Mexico, Minnesota and Texas. Editor and Publisher claimed that this is an effort to cut costs and avoid layoffs. Those employees were told to take the unpaid week off in February or March.

MediaNews Group has its headquarters in Denver.

Rutland Herald article

Editor and Publisher article