Metroland, a division of Torstar, has informed employees of a plan to outsource about twenty ad designer jobs at The Hamilton Spectator and the Waterloo Region Record, the employees union has announced.

Paul Morse, Hamilton Spectator unit chair for the Communications, Energy
and Paperworkers Union Local 87-M (Southern Ontario Newsmedia Guild) said in a news release:

“We are deeply disappointed Metroland is willing to give away jobs of the highest calibre, not just to another company, but to another continent.”

Metroland said the plan is not yet final. Contract negotiations with unionized employees are set to start this week at The Spec and at end of 2010 at The Record.