Ten editorial jobs are under threat at The Argus in Brighton as a result of plans to reduce its two daily editions to one.

Parent company Newsquest also revealed plans to close the weekly Sports Argus newspaper.

Don Mackglew, assistant organiser with the National Union of Journalists, said the ten cuts would come from editorial roles with others coming from elsewhere within The Argus.

He said: “Management is looking for ten voluntary redundancies in editorial and a number elsewhere such as sales or advertising.

“We have full recognition, there is a chapel and management, as far as I am aware, are doing everything by the book.

“They are keeping the chapel informed and will be meeting them in due course regarding these proposals.”

A 30-day consultation process has now started with staff over the proposed cuts.

Argus editor Michael Beard was unavailable for comment, but in a statement Newsquest Sussex managing director Martyn Willis said the proposed cuts were a reaction to “the current economic climate”.

“It is crucial that the company continually reviews its business efficiency and these proposals have been announced as part of that process,” he said.

“In the event they go ahead, we will try to minimise the impact through voluntary redundancy and redeployment to alternative positions.”

Comments

º¤ø,¸¸,¤º ChillPhill º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º (15/07/2008 15:28:58)
How many jobs have gone here in the last couple of years?
15 subs in May, another ten now.
Did that commuter paper close in the end? How many did they lose when the two-edition format was dreamt up?

Onlooker (16/07/2008 08:40:37)
I work for Newsquest and over the years we have had periodic redundancies in editorial. A few months later they are recruiting again but at a lower salary than those who left.

martin fowler (17/07/2008 17:56:57)
As far as I am aware this is done by most firms to get rid of the dead wood !

David Glanz (31/07/2008 06:53:58)
When I worked at the Argus in the 80s there were six editions. I’m sure each that as each was lost, management talked reassuringly of quality and better deadlines …