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SYDNEY - Staff at Fairfax newspapers in Sydney say they have been betrayed by management and have moved a motion of no confidence in chief executive David Kirk.
Mr Kirk yesterday announced that up to 35 jobs will be cut as the company merges production staff of The Sydney Morning Herald and its Sunday newspaper, The Sun-Herald.
While sub-editors and graphic designers will be axed, reporters and photographers have been excluded from the job cuts.
Members of the journalists' union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, have reacted angrily and demanded management reverse the decision.
They also disputed Fairfax's claim that the move, which will also include a reduction in the width of the SMH and its Melbourne sister paper The Age, will achieve greater efficiencies.
"This is a continued betrayal of staff goodwill in the name of profit," said Alliance federal secretary Christopher Warren.
"The quality of the product is already suffering as a result of two previous rounds of redundancies, which stripped more than 100 journalists and other staff from the paper.
"Further eroding the base of experienced and committed staff can only undermine the quality of output, confidence of staff in management, and will ultimately affect the bottom line."
Union members passed the no confidence motion following yesterday's announcement.
They also accused the company of obstructing the proposed integration of digital and print operations through a silo mentality.
Mr Kirk yesterday said SMH and Sun-Herald editors would work alongside their online counterparts with a focus on providing content in print, on the internet and mobile phones.
The union is continuing its negotiations with Fairfax management, while staff will meet again next week.
- AAP
