Chicago Sun-Times begins to trim jobs

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Sun-Times cut five nonunion newsroom staff jobs Thursday and the business editor resigned amid ongoing cuts aimed at slashing operating costs by $50 million this year.

The cuts included three editorial board jobs, as well as the paper's Sunday editor and assistant managing editor jobs, said Bob Mutter, a copy editor and former co-chairman of the newspaper's union.

Business Editor Dan Miller, 62, said he submitted his resignation after seven years at the post because of management plans to scale back his section. He plans to stay at the Sun-Times until spring.

"I didn't see where I fit into that plan going forward," he said.

Sun-Times spokeswoman Tammy Chase said she could not comment on personnel matters.

Last week, parent company Sun-Times Media Group Inc. said it planned to cut up to 35 jobs in the newsroom of the city's second-largest newspaper.

A buyout package for union members was expected to be presented for a vote during a meeting later Thursday, said Misha Davenport, the newspaper guild's co-chairman at the Sun-Times.

"It's a difficult, difficult time," Minkkinen said. "There's a lot of sadness on both sides of the table. No one wants to cut the staff."