NUJ members in Birmingham have been meeting today to consider their response to the announcement that Trinity Mirror will cut over 50 editorial jobs at three of its weekly titles.

The publishing company has announced that job cuts will be made at the Sutton Coldfield News, ChasePost and Stafford Post, while production and features for its Birmingham and Coventry facilities will be merged and staff photographers also made redundant.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ General Secretary, said: “Trinity Mirror is a group in crisis, a company without leadership. Sly Bailey is a one-trick pony whose only solution is to slash jobs, degrade journalistic quality and cheat readers – she should have been put out to grass a long time ago. Our members will vigorously defend their jobs and the future of these titles.”

NUJ Midlands organiser Chris Morley added: “There just seems to be no credible management plan to expand the business. It was on life support and it looked like had turned the corner. The question is why have they delivered such a devastating blow?"