The National Union of Journalists says it has been informed of new proposals to place over 420 roles at risk of redundancy at Reach.
The union understands that this includes 192 editorial roles which will be cut from the workforce, in a major blow to staff at the publisher of titles across the UK and Ireland.
Proposed cuts come only two weeks after the conclusion of a redundancy process announced in January this year resulting in the loss of over 80 jobs, and a week after the publication of the company’s 2022 annual results.
Laura Davison, NUJ national organiser, said: “Plans will come as a major blow to our members hard on the heels of recent redundancies. As the company seeks to make good on its commitment to cut costs by £30 million this year it is our members who are yet again feeling the pain. Our objective in this process will be to support our members who have been buffeted every which way by the business since the new year. They have had enough of words and will be looking for tangible ways the company can mitigate the impacts of this announcement.
“Reach’s focus has switched to launching a US operation, but it remains to be seen what this will deliver in reality and in the meantime more core jobs are being lost. While the cost-of-living crisis is impacting everyone, including Reach staff, it is the leadership that decides the strategy.
A Reach spokesperson told Prolific North: “As we announced in January, with the current market headwinds we are facing we have had to take decisive action to review costs across the entire business including print production, energy sourcing, external suppliers, as well as, regrettably, the size of some of our teams.
“This work is ongoing as we review all aspects of our strategic transformation, to ensure we continue to deliver on our Customer Value Strategy and are well placed to benefit once headwinds subside. We will continue to work closely with all impacted teams and continue to be committed to delivering a sustainable business and a long-term future for our journalism.
“We continue to be wholly committed to delivering trusted and award-winning local journalism across our portfolio – from our city titles, which set the national agenda, to our specialised hyperlocal titles, which boast fiercely loyal audiences. While we take these decisions and the impact on our people very seriously, the current macroeconomic conditions mean that we must continue to rethink how our range of local titles can best serve their communities, to ensure their success now and far into the future.”
