THE TRADE union Unite has said it will put forward proposals aimed at achieving a potential restructuring of the Munster Expressnewspaper in Waterford when it meets management at the company tomorrow.
The union said it was totally opposed to plans put forward by management earlier this week that would result in 11 of the 24 staff at the newspaper losing their jobs.
It said it would fight for the future of the Munster Express, as the job cuts proposed by management at the company "would kill the newspaper".
Unite said staff had been told by management the job losses would go ahead unless an alternative restructuring plan could be agreed.
It said that a 30-day timeframe for the development of alternative cost savings at the newspaper had been put in place.
Unite regional officer Brendan Byrne said yesterday the union “cannot and will not allow the proposals put forward to be implemented as they would effectively kill the paper”.
“We recognise that these are difficult times but there are ways that can be explored and implemented to prevent what would tear the heart out of an institution in Waterford.”
Mr Byrne said in the last fortnight Unite had assisted in putting forward alternative plans that resulted in saving 18 jobs at the Waterford Crystal Sports and Social Centre.
"Earlier this year we saved print and production jobs at the Connaught Telegraphand the Mayo Star, where similar outsourcing away from the heartland of the papers was being suggested.
“Unite will put forward proposals to maintain the newspaper in Waterford.
"They will require input from all those who are involved at the Munster Express, from the owners through to all staff and those who care about maintaining a strong local resource."
Unite said that under the management plan the workers who would lose their jobs included eight staff in production and printing, two in distribution and one in advertising.
It said that it was envisaged that the printing and production roles currently carried out by the eight staff at the newspaper would be outsourced away from Waterford.
The Munster Express, which is published twice-weekly, is one of the largest selling regional papers in the southeast.
It celebrated its 150th anniversary last year.
The newspaper serves Waterford city and county as well as south Kilkenny, south Wexford and south Tipperary.
A spokeswoman for the editor of the newspaper, Kieran Walsh, said yesterday he was “unavailable” for comment.
