Red Deer Advocate cuts dozens of jobs

The sole daily newspaper in Red Deer has announced it is laying off dozens of employees.

On Tuesday it was revealed 25 employees of the Red Deer Advocate are losing their jobs.

Nineteen mailroom staff and four employees from the press room will be out of a job come July 1.

The local union representing Advocate employees says the owner of the paper, Black Press Media, notified employees this week.

“This of course is a blow to the employees affected, many of them long-term employees,” said the Media and Communications Workers of Alberta. “As well there will be a negative impact on the local economy, as these were decent-paying jobs with benefits.”

The city’s weekly paper, the Red Deer Express, which is also owned by Black Press, will issue its last paper on Wednesday before it closes for good.

The Red Deer Advocate has been in print since 1907.