Guardian News & Media (GNM), the publisher of The Guardian and The Observer, has announced it is in consultation with staff at its two print facilities in Manchester and London following news that the company has proposed restructuring plans for the sites.
Over 100 staff are employed at the two print centres with the centre in Trafford Park employing 36 staff.
GNM gave notice in 2011 that it was to adopt a ‘digital-first’ strategy for the group although it did add that it expected revenue from its print titles would remain marginally the larger contributor to the company’s coffers at the end of the transformation process in 2016.
In June this year, Auto Trader, in which GNM owns a 50.1% stake, announced that it was ending its print edition with the loss of 150 jobs: 70 of which would be split be Warrington and Salford.
Earlier this year, GNM announced that it had reduced its annual losses from £44.2m for the year to March 2012 to £30.9m for the year to March 2013.
A Guardian News & Media spokesperson told Prolific North: “Guardian News & Media (GNM) is currently consulting with staff and their representatives at its print sites in London and Manchester about a proposed restructure.
“It is anticipated that the proposed changes will result in a number of redundancies across the two sites (GPC London and GPC Manchester), though the company will seek to achieve as many of the redundancies as possible through voluntary means
“We recognise that this is very unwelcome and unsettling news, and deeply regret that redundancies are necessary. GNM will do its best to support staff during this difficult process and will work closely with Unite throughout the consultation period.”
