Irshadgul News report,
Postmedia Networks Corp. has cut more than 75 jobs by outsourcing the printing and inserting of the Windsor Star, according to Unifor and CWA Canada.
The unions said printing was being transferred to Toronto printers, and the papers would then be shipped back to Windsor for distribution, while the pouring would now be done at a plant in London, Ont.
Printing plant workers are covered by Unifor, while CWA Canada represents Incorporated members.
In a press release Monday evening, the unions said they oppose the decision and are urging a reconsideration by the newspaper’s publisher, which owns publications across the country including the National Post and Vancouver Sun.
Unifor said unions learned about the planned cuts by Postmedia on January 24, and official notice of the plant closure came on Friday.
Postmedia confirmed that it intends to close the print facility in Windsor and will move work currently being done there to its Islington and London production facilities by 3 March and sell the building.
Spokeswoman Phyllis Gelfand said in an email that this means approximately 22 full-time and 55 part-time positions will be eliminated.
The company reportedly planned to lay off 11 percent of its editorial staff last week. Unifor said it is awaiting details on the editorial job cuts.
Unifor national president Lana Payne said the latest round of cost-cutting by Postmedia will hurt local news.
Postmedia recently announced it is moving a dozen of its Alberta community newspapers to digital-only formats and is looking at more outsourcing deals for printing.
With files from Tara Deschamps
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on January 30, 2023.
