Around 17 production and picture desk posts at Herald & Times Group at risk of redundancy

AROUND 17 editorial production posts at The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times are at risk of redundancy.

The papers’ publisher, the Herald & Times Group, is seeking applications for voluntary redundancy among group production and picture desk staff.

It is understood the publisher, like other newspaper groups, is seeking to introduce new editorial technology and editorial workflows – such as templates – to improve efficiency. The Herald & Times Group operates circa 45 production posts alone, plus photographic/photographic production ones.

Paul Holleran, the Scottish Organiser of the National Union of Journalists, said: “The union and the NUJ members at the three titles are obviously very concerned at these latest job cuts.

“There are not enough journalists in place now and we are very keen to see the full proposals for the restructuring required to deal with the job losses.

“I have pointed out that the practice of introducing new technology at the same time as making redundancies has been shown not to work across the industry. Management say they have no option as savings have to be made, yet [the publisher’s owner] Gannett are in the middle of paying out massive $1.3bn dividends to shareholders in the US. We will now be entering into consultation and working to minimise the redundancies and make sure the new structure can work as well as practically possible.”