The Manchester Evening News has announced plans to publish a new morning edition, which will be available to readers at breakfast time.

The move will see the number of editions increased from three to four, with its current mid-morning, lunchtime and mid-afternoon editions published as normal.

Up to 200,000 copies of the MEN are currently published each day, and is it expected than in addition to this between 30,000 and 50,000 copies of the morning edition will be published.

Editor Paul Horrocks said the move had been prompted by parent-company Guardian Media Group’s investment in new press technology at its Trafford Park printing centre, which also publishes The Guardian.

Two new presses are to be installed, with two of the old ones removed. Work is already under way but is expected to take up to two years to complete.

The new edition will be printed overnight at a site other than Trafford Park, and the MEN is on the verge of clinching a deal with another print centre.

Paul said: “The MEN is printed on three presses, but this has been reduced to two while work on the new presses is going on.

“By publishing a morning edition we will protect the availability of the MEN. The two presses are quite old and this will ensure there are copies already available in the market place in the event of a delay or breakdown during printing of the other three editions.

“It will also help us with things like sport and concert reviews which we can’t usually get in until the lunchtime edition – these will be in the first edition which of course will benefit readers.

“But we are not creating a morning paper, rather an additional edition while work is carried out at Trafford Park.”

A date for the first morning edition is yet to be fixed, but could hinge on talks with the NUJ which says there is concern among some staff that the change will mean more work and worse shifts without more staff or extra money.

A question and answer session for staff was held last Thursday, with editor Paul, managing director David Benjamin and personnel director Tom Peak.

More than 30 NUJ members also attended a chapel meeting late last week to discuss the matter, and an official disputes procedure has been invoked.

Regional organiser Miles Barter said: “While it was not unanimous there was overwhelming support to try and resist the move.

“Members are not opposed to a new edition but if the company wants to expand they need to take on more staff and make sure they are properly paid.

“At a bare minimum they should take on more casual subs.”

The editor said the new edition would mean changes to staff rotas to include some evening and Sunday work, and discussions about how best to implement this are currently underway.

Some staff already work until 10pm, and it is expected that more production staff will work until 8pm or 9pm, with a small group of staff working beyond that.

Paul said: “We are not asking staff to work longer hours, but to work the same number of hours over a different period of time. We will listen to all suggestions.”

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