AT least ten editorial posts at the Herald & Times Group – publishers of The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times newspapers – are at risk of redundancy, as part of a cost-saving exercise.
Staff at the Newsquest-owned newspaper group were informed of the redundancy plans, just over an hour ago, but it is not yet clear which specific jobs – reporters, sub-editors, photographers, etc – at which titles have been earmarked for the axe.
The reason for the planned redundancies, says the company, is “current trading conditions and the outlook for the business in 2011″.
The company told allmediascotland it “would seek volunteers for redundancy where possible in the [newspaper] division and overall fewer than 20 employees would be affected” and that “like most regional newspaper groups, is has been badly affected by a downturn in advertising”.
It added: “The company’s s1 internet advertising business, printing and magazines divisions are not affected and continue to grow.”
It declined to comment further.
Said Paul Holleran, the National Union of Journalists’ Scottish Organiser: “Redundancies just before Christmas is not great timing to say the least. We will be meeting local management on Monday and then there will be a chapel meeting on Wednesday. These job cuts on an overstretched workforce come on top of attacks on the pension scheme and two years of a pay freeze.”
