Newspaper Guild, New York Times appear headed toward new agreement at the Boston Globe

The Boston Globe's largest union and the New York Times Co. appear headed toward a new agreement and a new vote on a contract proposal that could come as early as next month, Globe staffers briefed on ongoing negotiations said.

The two sides began negotiating yesterday, as what was supposed to have been a perfunctory meeting about the implementation of a 23 percent wage cut turned into a marathon 13-hour bargaining session. The Times imposed the pay cut after Guild members narrowly (277 to 265) rejected a proposed contract that called for an 8.4 percent wage cut, a one-week unpaid furlough, the elimination of lifetime job guarantees, and significant givebacks on benefits.

One staffer said that, in stark contrast to last month's acrimonious negotiations, both sides were "cautiously optimistic" that they could now reach a mutually acceptable deal.

Another staffer attributed the progress to the hangover both sides felt after the June 8 vote. Workers were facing the loss of nearly a quarter of their salary and wondering whether they would be able to make their mortgages. Times officials, who are reportedly trying to sell the Globe, were left with an angry union workforce that was vowing legal action and that still had nearly 200 workers with lifetime job guarantees.

"I think both sides realize that we have a lot of thing to do besides calling each other names," the staffer said. "And that now is the time to stop (expletive)-ing around."

The talks were scheduled to resume at 3 p.m. today. Newspaper Guild national president Bernie Lunzer reportedly sat in on yesterday's talks for about five hours and, as a sign of good faith, the union postponed a meeting with the National Labor Relations Board about an unfair labor practice complaint against the Times.

The new deal being negotiated would still give the Times the $10 million in savings it has demanded from the Guild, the staffer said, but Globe managers negotiating on behalf of the Times Co. officials are reportedly more flexible about how the savings would be reached. One proposal, for example, would change the way vacation is computed so that employees who leave the paper - which is expected to undergo significant downsizing - would not have to be paid for as much accrued time off.

If the two sides are able to agree to a new deal, it will likely include the elimination of lifetime job guarantees, but a smaller pay cut, the staffers said.

The two sides are also exploring a way to mitigate the impact of the 23 percent pay cut. The cut will go into effect in next Thursday's Globe paychecks, but the union's membership cannot vote on a new contract proposal until 30 days after an agreement is reached.