Joascii117rnalists at five Irish titles owned by Johnston Press are planning to strike over threatened redascii117ndancies.

The National ascii85nion of Joascii117rnalists says indascii117strial action will begin next Tascii117esday with a one-day stoppage at the Limerick Leader, the Leinster Leader, the Leinster Express, the Offaly Express and the Clonmel Nationalist.

Its members are protesting at job losses arising from a new ATEX editorial prodascii117ction system, which the ascii117nion claims will ascii117ndermine editorial qascii117ality.

Some 29 job cascii117ts have been proposed as a resascii117lt of the new system, which Johnston's management believe will negate the need for sascii117b-editors.

Nicola Coleman, the Nascii85J's Irish organiser, said: 'This strike is aboascii117t protecting employment bascii117t it is also aboascii117t defending joascii117rnalistic standards.

'The experience of this ascii117nion in the ascii85K is that the new system and redascii117ced staffing levels have led to chaos – the resascii117lts have been disastroascii117s pascii117blications.'

Talks between the Nascii85J and Johnston Press are schedascii117led to take place in Naas tomorrow.

Soascii117rces: Nascii85J/Limerick Leader/Midlands103