Union consulting with Fairfax over sub hub plan

Union delegates from Fairfax newspapers met with Fairfax's project management team this week to discuss the company's proposal to centralise its subediting operations.

Under the Fairfax proposal subediting for its newspapers' World, Business and Feature sections would be centralised in three subediting hubs based out of Wellington and Christchurch, at a cost of 40 jobs nationwide.

The EPMU has reiterated its longstanding concerns about moving editorial production and control away from local mastheads and the effects this will have on the quality of news, as well as a concern that manning levels are maintained so that any move to centralisation does not lead to a further intensification of members' work.

EPMU senior national industrial officer Paul Tolich says the union is currently in consultation with Fairfax over the proposal.

"The delegate team met formally with the company on Tuesday and we had a full and frank discussion about the proposal. We're now rolling out meetings throughout the country to discuss the proposal with members who would be affected and develop a submission to take to the company."

The proposed changes would affect the Dominion Post, the Press, the Taranaki Daily News, the Timaru Herald, the Southland Times, the Waikato Times, Manawatu Standard, Nelson Mail and Marlborough Express.