Trinity Mirror has rescinded last year's decision to cancel Christmas by restoring funding for this year's annual staff parties.
The 2005 decision to withdraw funding for the parties, revealed by Press
Gazette in October, led to a bitter backlash from many of the company's
11,000 staff.
At the time, the company claimed it was
"inappropriate" to spend money on celebrations at a time of drastic
cost-cutting and widespread redundancies.
Trinity's operating
profits in the 53 weeks ending 2 January 2005 were up 20 per cent
year-on-year to £253 million with reported cost savings of £23 million.
In 2005, the company made £250.2 million operating profit in a 52-week
financial year on turnover of £1,118.8 million.
With 240 regional
newspapers as well as the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, People, Sunday
Mail and Daily Record Trinity is the biggest newspaper group in the UK.
A
Trinity Mirror spokesman told Press Gazette: "The decision to withdraw
funding for staff Christmas parties was taken in the light of difficult
trading conditions and the cost reduction programme taking place at the
time.
"While those economic conditions persist, the company has
reviewed the situation and, having taken note of feedback from staff,
will be restoring funding for these events from Christmas this year."
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