Fairfax informs staff via email of 120 job cuts among journalists, subeditors, artists, photographers

FAIRFAX Media newsrooms have voted to go on strike until Monday in protest after 120 editorial jobs were cut at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

TWO Fairfax Media newsrooms have voted to go on strike until Monday to protest the cutting of 120 journalists and editorial staff jobs at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Fairfax Media editorial director Sean Alymer informed staff of the cuts earlier this morning via an email.

Editorial staff assemble after walking out of Fairfax Media headquarters in Sydney. Picture: AAP

Breaking: SMH and Parliament House newsrooms vote to strike until MONDAY #fairgofairfax

— Bevan Shields (@BevanShields) March 17, 2016

On strike. #solidarity #fairgofairfax

— Ben Cubby (@bencubby) March 17, 2016

“We will shortly enter a consultation period with staff and the MEAA on a proposal to reduce costs across News and Business in the Sydney and Melbourne newsrooms by the equivalent of 120 full-time employees.

#Fairfax journalists (including me) on strike over plans to cut another 120 jobs in Sydney, Melbourne #fairgofairfax pic.twitter.com/RZcBvJQGZy

— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) March 17, 2016

We're out til Monday #fairgofairfax #Fairfax pic.twitter.com/ZXB6As9Joe

— Adrian Lowe (@AdrianLowe) March 17, 2016

“We believe that we can do this through redundancies, tightening contributor budgets and reducing travel costs and expenses.”

We will fight for every job, says MEAA CEO @thegreenmurphy. #MEAAmedia #fairgofairfax

— MEAA (@withMEAA) March 17, 2016

“It’s the staff on the newsroom floor who have driven the transition to digital and through all the challenges continued to produce high quality independent journalism,” Media, Entertainment and Arts union CEO Paul Murphy said in response to the news.

“And this is the reward. Yet another savage cut to editorial. We will be fighting for every job.”

The job cuts are part of the company shifting its emphasis away from print publishing and towards a digital distribution model.

“While we are much more efficient in producing quality journalism, we still have a way to go,” Mr Alymer’s statement reads.

“Change is a permanent part of our industry. It is a reflection of what we know about the ways our readers are consuming our stories. We must continue to evolve with them.”

Originally published as Fairfax informs staff via email of 120 job cuts among journalists, subeditors, artists, photographers