The Toronto Star‘s classified advertising work is being outsourced to a Buffalo-based company and 27 unionized jobs will be cut, according to the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada that represents the employees.

Maureen Dawson, who chairs the Star unit of the Southern Ontario Newsmedia Guild (SONG), said in a news release:

“This latest attack on its own employees goes against every principle the Star upholds in its editorials. The newspaper that calls itself the voice of the little people is sending jobs across the lake to another country? In the middle of a recession? This is the height of hypocrisy. Shame.”

The plan, to outsource the jobs to the Buffalo company, would see 27 out of 32 staffers in the classifieds department lost their jobs, the union said. The newspaper has agreed to delay formal layoff notices while alternatives are discussed with the union (as required by contract) and to give a chance for people to volunteer for layoffs.