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Updated 12.46pm
THE MUNSTER EXPRESS newspaper in Waterford has announced it will be looking for 11 redundancies as management attempt to cut costs.
The newspaper’s staff were told of the plans at a meeting yesterday. According to the Unite trade union, managers said the eleven positions included one in advertising, two in distribution and eight in production in printing – whose roles are expected to be outsourced. It’s understood there is a 30-day window for alternative ways of making the savings to be found.
Eleven positions amounts to almost half of 24 staff at the paper, which is published twice a week and serves Waterford, south Kilkenny and south Tipperary.
Brendan Byrne, regional officer for Unite, said the cuts would “effectively kill the paper.” He added: “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.”
He added that similar cuts had been avoided at the Connaught Telegraph and the Mayo Star, which were also looking at outsourcing production.
A spokesperson for the Irish branch of the National Union of Journalists told TheJournal.ie the union was “shocked to hear of the plans to make a significant number of people redundant at the Munster Express”, adding that officials “will be contacting the company to arrange talks as soon as possible”.
The Munster Express, owned by Munster Express Ltd, has been in operation for more than 150 years and is based in Waterford city. Figures published in June 2010 gave its average net circulation at just under seven thousand copies.
Management at the Munster Express could not be immediately reached for comment this morning.
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NCSE and Department can dress it up but in reality cuts in resource hours are happening and once again its the children in most need are been hit.
Why can’t government come up with more imaginative ways of cuts then hitting those most in need. One idea no pension for TDs until they reach 67 like they rest of the PAYE sector. Pigs will fly first thou
They’ll want the Firemen to put out more fires with less water next…
How many more would they have if Wallace and co paid their lawful dues
So, let me get this correct, “the NCSE confirmed that demand has increased so teaching hours will be reduced again”. I am so sick and tired of this Government kicking the most vulnerable in society just because they don’t have a strong enough voice or their vote isn’t influential enough. Surely any kid with a learning difficulty will benefit from extra hours or more one-on-one interaction with an SNA. This is not just a benefit for the child with special needs but for the whole class. Of course our Government is too narrow minded or just don’t care about this section of society. There are so many other ways savings can be made in the education system, this is just beneath contempt and morally repugnant.
“Lies, damned lies, and statistics” is a phrase describing the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments. Horrific spin is all I can say to Ruairi Quinn & the NCSE.
Ahhh sure..once the poor ole bondhlders get paid, that’s the main thing.
Great to see our caring and Morally bankrupt leaders are prepared to let a vulnerable child sink into the depts as the class moves on and they are left to fend for themselves ,it really is a tragedy to watch as this happens in a classroom ,and they are now telling parents of children that they are not special needs and therefor no help is given and in most cases this decision is taken by a faceless bureaucrat who has never met the child
, but on the bright side at least our Political millionaires are still the best paid in the world ( with expenses ) and we paid 3.4Million euros to their advisors ( if they are that highly paid they must be good, and if they are that good why do they need so many advisors ) they retire with a wad of cash and a massive pension , the bondholders are looked after , we have no accountability in public life and wrong doers walk around with impunity , life in the banana republic is certainly good ,,,,,,,,,,,,, if you are in the elite class
Some spin doctor wrote this as this is not true of the school up by me… Typical the children suffer for the bondholders!
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