Announcing just nine days before
Christmas that it's cutting 10 per cent of its Sun
Media workforce is a callous move on Quebecor's part.
The company is also misleading the public when it
blames the soured economy for cutting 600 jobs at its
newspapers in Ontario, Quebec and Western Canada.
"I think that's a cover," says
Arnold Amber, director of CWA Canada, which represents
workers at 10 of those newspapers. "Because of
its heavy debt load, Quebecor has been vigilant when
it comes to its bottom line, even at newspapers where
they are making a profit." The company is also
centralizing some printing operations and trying to
get rid of pressmen.
Although Quebecor stated today
that its decision to cut 600 jobs "in no way changes our commitment
to our publications" and that it has "a responsibility
to offer ... high-quality journalism focused on local
news and exclusive features," you cannot improve
your newspaper if you continue to cut reporters and
editors, says Amber.
He points out that, of the 35-plus CWA Canada members
who will lose their jobs, 15 of them are in editorial.
The Sault Star will lose five jobs, two each in editorial
and advertising and one in Reader Sales and Service
(RSS). The North Bay Nugget will see four jobs cut,
three in editorial and one more in a yet-to-be-identified
department. One position in editorial will be cut at
both the Cobourg Star and the Port
Hope Evening News.
Three classified advertising jobs are to be cut at
the St. Catharines Standard.
The Peterborough
Examiner will lose three positions
in editorial and three part-time jobs in RSS. Five
jobs are expected to be cut in the composing room,
with the work being shipped to another plant. The Sudbury
Star is losing one position in editorial, one in RSS,
and four in the composing room; the latters' work will
now be performed in North Bay.
Six positions, four in editorial and two in advertising,
were cut at the Kingston Whig-Standard several weeks
ago.