 Alliance members have strongly rejected moves by Fairfax to slash up to 35 production staff, and refute the claim it will achieve greater efficiencies. Fairfax CEO David Kirk yesterday announced between 30 and 35 designers, graphic artists and sub-editors would lose their jobs as the newly-merged publisher integrated the production facilities of the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun-Herald newspapers. One-sixth of Fairfax Sydney’s 150 sub-editorial staff will be axed.
Kirk claims the move, part of a broader restructure which will also feature a cut in the page dimensions of the SMH and The Age, will strengthen the business.
But members have reacted angrily, moving a motion of no confidence in Kirk and demanding management reverse the decision.
“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.”
Members passed a motion following yesterday’s announcement strongly rejecting the redundancies and demanding the company reverse its decision and seek cost efficiencies elsewhere.
Requests from the House Committee to engage with management on the move to new premises in August and the implementation of an integrated newsroom have been repeatedly knocked back. Staff yesterday accused the company of in fact obstructing the proposed integration of digital and print operations through a silo mentality.
“Final editorial responsibility for what appears on smh.com.au now rests with Fairfax Digital and is outside the hands of editorial staff. This is a recipe for confusion and a continued erosion of our editorial standards,” the resolution said.
They called for a fully transparent consultation process on the restructure and genuine digital integration, involving staff, unions and management.
Members also condemned the company’s continued refusal to engage with the Alliance on the employment of staff at the online-only brisbanetimes.com.au on AWAs, which significantly undercut the conditions of the Fairfax agreement and remove them from the obligations of the Code of Ethics and Fairfax charter of editorial independence. Alliance negotiations with management continue, and members will meet again next week.
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