EIGHT compulsory redundancies are to take place at the Herald & Times Group, with a further nine posts being shed as voluntary applications for redundancy.
The 17 posts being axed are part of plans to introduce a new editorial production system and the redundancies are in editorial production and on the multimedia desk at the papers making up the group: The Herald, the Sunday Herald and the Evening Times.
The process of informing those selected for compulsory redundancy has begun today.
The news of posts at risk of redundancy emerged last month and since then the National Union of Journalists has issued ballot papers asking for members’ votes on whether to proceed with industrial action.
The Herald & Times Group declined to comment.
But the Scottish Organiser of the NUJ, Paul Holleran, said: “I can’t believe the company are doing this. They are making compulsory redundancies on what are nearly statutory terms and expecting our members to embrace a new production system, with new unsociable hours for many. It doesn’t make sense. As Johnston Press did at The Scotsman titles, [owners] Newsquest top management in England need to loosen the stranglehold that leaves local management little leeway to negotiate a constructive change with the union.”
