Metro Toronto management optimistic that it will reach an agreement with
unionized staff.

Will continue to publish regardless of outcome of bargaining.

TORONTO, April 28 /CNW/ - Metro Toronto is negotiating a new contract with the union representing the unionized staff at the company's head office in Toronto. Bargaining is on-going and the company is optimistic that the parties can reach agreement.

The negotiating process is having no impact on the ability to produce and distribute Metro Toronto according to the established schedule and standard of excellence.

While the company's bargaining team is working diligently to ensure that negotiations conclude successfully, Metro Toronto has fully-developed contingency plans to ensure the continued publication of a daily newspaper that meets and exceeds the expectations of its readers and advertisers regardless of the outcome of bargaining.

Out of respect for the bargaining process, Metro prefers not to discuss publicly the details of the negotiations. Metro is committed, however, to ensure that advertisers and agency partners are well aware of the progress of talks, with regular communications, including an e-mail to advertisers earlier today.

About Metro

Metro is the nation's No. 1 free national daily newspaper brand and the first national daily to publish in both official languages. In Canada, Metro editions are published in: Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Metro targets YAMs (young, active, metropolitans) and reaches more than 1.3 million readers daily and 2.8 million over the course of a week.

Metro is the largest international newspaper in the world. Metro is published in over 100 major cities in 20 countries across Europe, North & South America and Asia. Metro has a unique global reach - attracting a young, active, well-educated, metropolitan audience of over 17 million daily readers.

For further information: Bill McDonald, Group Publisher, Metro English Canada, [phone], [email protected]