East Bay Express writer Will Harper, in his blog, says that the 101 layoffs at the Mercury News last week were seen by employees as a “shot across the bow of the unions currently in contract talks with the newspaper. On the heels of other recent announcements, the developments seem to herald a significant downsizing across many or all of the company’s dozens of Bay Area papers,” Harper writes.

“Company employees, speaking under the promise of anonymity, see the layoffs at the Merc as the likely first act to a similar reduction in force at the Times and possibly also the company’s long-time East Bay papers,” Harper said in his blog. He quotes an ANG employee as saying: “The general feeling around here is that the hammer is coming down here soon too.” [PPC, Oct. 20: Merc to layoff 101 employees, 8.5% of staff]