Type
Internal restructuring
Country
United Kingdom
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
Sector
Information / Communication
Publishing Of Information; Production And Programming Of Audiovisual
Publishing Activities
58.13 - Publishing of newspapers

110 - 200 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
8 September 2014
Employment effect (start)
8 September 2014
Foreseen end date
15 December 2014

Description

Express Newspapers announced plans to cut its workforce by 200 jobs by the end of August 2014. The job losses will see the number of print and editorial staff reduce from 650 to 450. UK Express publishes the UK’s Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday. In July 2014, the company called for voluntary redundancies but at the end of deadline, it had only received applications from 41 workers by the end of August 2014. The company is reported to have accepted applications for voluntary redundancy from all 41 workers but it also extended the scheme deadline until 10 September. Express Newspapers aims to save morethan £10 million annually (€12.5 million). These cuts follow a previous major cost savings round in 2012. As of 15 September, there is no information on the final number of voluntary and compulsory redundancies.

Updated, 25/11/2014: The final number of jobs lost is unknown.

Updated, 05/12/2014: To date, it is understood that around 110 staff have opted for voluntary redundancy, however Express Newspapers is looking to reduce its staffing level by a further 62 workers in order to reach its desired cost savings target of a 30 per cent reduction in headcount. In order to achieve this target, the company has offered enhanced voluntary redundancy terms to long-term casual staff of three weeks a year in pay for each year of service. This brings the terms offered to long-term casuals in line with the offer to permanent employees. Impacted staff has until 15 December 2014 to accept the offer.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2014), Express Newspapers, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 77543, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/77543.