Sub-editors at two Newsquest centres have been told their jobs are at risk under plans to create a centralised unit for the North of England, according to the National Union of Journalists.
The union says the company plans to cut 14 jobs by transferring the production of titles in Darlington and York to a unit in Bradford where four new roles would be created.
Under the plans, production of the free weekly titles in Darlington and York, as well as the paid-for weeklies and magazines, would go to Bradford during the next six months.
But sub-editing of the daily titles, York’s The Press and The Northern Echo, would remain at their existing locations.
The move comes just weeks after a reorganisation of the subbing operation in Darlington was completed, which saw the daily and weekly production merged and cost a number of jobs.
It led to NUJ members in Darlington joining a co-ordinated strike in January, which included demonstrating outside Newsquest’s Surrey headquarters.
NUJ Northern and Midlands organiser Chris Morley said: “Our members in Newsquest are punch-drunk from the continuous stream of highly damaging cuts that issue forth from this discredited management in Newsquest.
“We have seen all over the country where editorial production is centralised, impossible demands are made on journalists who choose to stay and within a year or two the schemes are broken up and return to the local centres with massive damage done to staff morale and reader confidence.
“This move by Newsquest is a one way ticket to oblivion. We will defend our members with all powers at our disposal.”
The union says the company wants to complete consultation on the planned redundancies within 30 days, despite some parts of the reorganisation not taking place until September.
Newsquest chief executive Paul Davidson was not available for comment at the time of publication.
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
Here we go again.
Report this comment
If people won’t stand up to management this will continue to happen.
Report this comment
If people won’t stand up to management this will continue to happen.
Report this comment
Kol Kurtz, the NUJ members in Darlington have (very recently) been out on strike and have taken action short of strike in the past. What do you suggest they do? Management at local level are shills, at national level is where the decisions are made and even then, it’s the paymasters in the USA that really decide what is going on. Gannett has four subbing centres to serve all of its US products. They’d do the same here in a heartbeat.
Report this comment
What is it they say about death and taxes? You can add a Paul Davidson “unavailable to comment” to that list.
Report this comment
They’ve just had one reorganisation and now they’re launching another? Does the management have a clue what it’s doing? Maybe that’s where the job cuts should come!
Report this comment
Another tragic story. When will this end?
Report this comment
The Darlington and Stockton Times used to be one of the greatest weekly papers in the country. It has been systematically run down but at least the folk who had to recycle the Northern Echo copy into it know the patch and were able to maintain at least a feel for what was once a magnificent beast. What hope now?
Report this comment
The Northern Echo used to be the most prestigious regional morning newspaper in the UK. Continued mismanagement has destroyed it.
Report this comment
Skeleton Staff, my comments were not directed at the brave members at the Echo who took action earlier this year but rather at those who backed out of action with the promise of a fiver a week pay increase. I agree what is happening within Gannett is frightening. I am glad I got out of the game when I could, younger members are not so lucky and seem content to watch the industry burn from afar.
Report this comment