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Jobs to go at West Wales titles claims union

Editorial job cuts and a district office closure are on the cards in Newsquest’s West Wales division, the National Union of Journalists has claimed.

It is understood that the company’s office in Milford Haven is to shut, costing two jobs, while the Milford Mercury will be produced from Haverfordwest alongside the Western Telegraph.

Meanwhile the South Wales Guardian, based in Ammanford, will lose one reporter.

NUJ assistant organiser for Wales Lawrence Shaw said: “Journalists on all these titles already work on a shoe-string and are under enormous stress.

“They don’t want to leave – they are committed to serving these unique communities where the local paper is the glue that holds civic society together.”

The NUJ is also in talks about securing union recognition with Newsquest West Wales.

Insiders at Newsquest Wales told HoldtheFrontPage that jobs were also expected to go in advertising and pre-press.

Newsquest Wales MD Gavin Steacy had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Yesterday HoldtheFrontPage reported that Newsquest is planning to close its printing plant in Bolton, moving production of the Bolton News and Lancashire Telegraph to another company.

Other recent announcements have seen proposed editorial cutbacks at the Northern Echo, Bradford Telegraph and Argus, and Glasgow’s Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald.