London Free Press print plant closure hurts media workers and city

LONDON, ON, May 31, 2016 /CNW/ - The decision by Postmedia Network Inc. to close its newspaper printing plant in London is a difficult blow to 135 union members losing their jobs at the London Free Press, and to the City of London, already struggling with significant job loss through plant closures.

"This is a tough, tough day for our London members and their families," said Paul Morse, president of Unifor Local 87-M, which represents unionized workers at the London Free Press. "More than half the unionized workforce at the London Free Press is being put out of work."

Sixty-one full-time and 74 part-time print plant workers are losing their jobs as a result of this decision by the newspaper corporate giant.

"We are extremely disappointed with the aggressive cost-cutting at Postmedia," Morse said. "We've already seen Postmedia cut good-quality jobs by merging newspapers in Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary."

Unifor Local 87-M represents 214 employees at the London Free Press among 2,500 media workers across southern Ontario, including the the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and 14 Postmedia newspapers.

Unifor is Canada's largest private-sector union with over 310,000 members in all sectors of the economy, including 14,000 in media across the country.

SOURCE Unifor Local 87-M

Paul Morse, [email protected], cell 905-536-5650.