The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has described Bauer Media’s acquisition of Pacific Magazines and its subsequent announcement on job losses as callous.
Bauer Media’ staff learned that up to 60 jobs would be lost and another 15 people would be stood down in an announcement that was made by management in a Zoom meeting.
Just three days earlier, Bauer had completed its $40 million acquisition of Pacific Magazines which had 160 employees. Bauer has wasted no time moving to redundancies following the purchase. Bauer closed its entire New Zealand business on April 2nd.
MEAA Media director Neill Jones said: “It is a particularly cruel and callous way to treat people. Yesterday was the first day on the job at Bauer for the former Pacific Magazines’ employees. It came after months of uncertainty after the acquisition was first announced in October last year.
“Bauer, because it is a foreign-owned entity, is not eligible for the JobKeeper allowance so those who have been stood down need to know if they now qualify for JobSeeker,” Jones said.
MEAA is seeking more information from Bauer management and will be contacting its members at the magazine group.