News International has announced that it will ax 110 jobs from its U.K. workforce. The newspaper publisher is also considering changes to its use of freelancers and casual staff.
According to the Press Association, News International chief executive Tom Mockridge announced the cuts in an internal memo on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
"In the period to the end of this financial year, we expect to reduce the News International workforce by 110 staff positions, out of a workforce of approximately 3,000,” Mockridge wrote. “In addition, there will be discussions with editors about the use of casuals.” News International, owned by Rupert Murdoch, controls The Sun, The Times, and the Sunday Times newspapers in the U.K.
The proposed cuts have prompted anger from the National Union of Journalists, according to the Daily Mail, which quotes the NUJ’s head of publishing, Barry Fitzpatrick. “Rupert Murdoch received a £12.5 million bonus from News Corp. for the last financial year, and it is a disgrace he is going to make staff redundant,” he said.
“The money was generated by hard-working employees who have remained loyal during the present crisis," Fitzpatrick added. "The announcement is a kick in the teeth, and the money should be spent on investment and jobs rather than rewarding executives at the top.”
The news comes a day after News International announced that it was selling its headquarters in Wapping, East London, because of “the current market condition.”
