Production work on two regional Australian newspapers will be done in New Zealand despite a strike and a counter proposal by a media union.
Fairfax has confirmed that its outsourcing plan for the Newcastle Herald and the Illawarra Mercury will go ahead despite some public opposition and condemnation by
Australia's leading media union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA).
An MEAA proposal, aimed at maintaining jobs in Australia, has been rejected. A union official, Paul Murphy, said: "Fairfax has ignored its readers and instead has taken the axe to two great newspapers with proud histories of more than 150 years of service to their communities."
He said the union's proposal would have enabled sub-editors to remain in the community while achieving cost savings.
But Fairfax Regional Media chief executive Allan Browne said the decision to relocate the work was the best one. About 40 staff will be made redundant.
Newcastle Herald journalist Rosmarie Milsom said in an email: "We are all utterly devastated."
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
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