L.A Times plans "significant" layoffs, guild says

FILE PHOTO: People walk past the building of Los Angeles Times newspaper, which is owned by Tribune Publishing Co, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 27, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

(Reuters) – Los Angeles Times plans to layoff a “significant” number of journalists, the newspaper’s guild said on Thursday, adding that they would organize a one-day walk-out on Friday to protest against the planned move.

The layoffs could impact at least 100 journalists or about 20% of the newsroom in a move to address the paper’s financial pressures, the Los Angeles Times reported separately, citing people familiar with the matter.

“The management needs to come to the bargaining table in good faith and work out a buyout plan with us that would first articulate a clear headcount or cost saving they’re aiming for,” the guild said in a statement, adding that the management should then try to hit that number with as few layoffs as possible.

The guild said in a statement to Reuters that it was unaware of the number of job cuts. “Management has refused to say on the record what it is, which is part of why we’re walking out tomorrow.”

The Los Angeles Times didn’t immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

These job cuts come after the newspaper’s executive editor, Kevin Merida, stepped down from his role last week after more than two years.

(Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi and Kanjyik Ghosh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Jose Joseph; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil)