• by Ray Schultz , January 22, 2024

Two Los Angeles Times managing editors, Shani Hilton and Sara Yasin, have resigned.  

Hilton and Yasin were helping to run the paper after the departure of Kevin Merida earlier in January, according to TheWrap. Julia Turner and Scott Kraft are now in charge of editorial. 

This is happening as the L.A. Times Guild attempts to negotiate with the Times over looming layoffs, variously described as up to 100 people or much higher. Estimated as 20% of staff, the layoff would affect 100 employees.

Last Friday, roughly 300 employees staged a walkout to protest the looming cuts. 

The Times reportedly feels that the union’s seniority protections should be relaxed “so they have vastly more freedom to pick whom to lay off,” the Guild said last Thursday. 

However, the Guild argued that the Times management needs to “come to the bargaining table in good faith and work out a buyout plan with us that would first articulate a clear headcount or cost saving they’re aiming for, and then seek to hit that number with as many buyouts — and as few layoffs — as possible,” said Brian Contreras, chair of the Guild’s Unit Council.

Last June, the Times reduced its newsroom staff by 13% -- some 74 positions.

Meanwhile, the news came out that Merida, who took over almost three years ago, had drawn criticism for restricting reporters who had signed a protest letter condemning Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attacks from covering the conflict in Gaza, according to The New York Times.

Hilton had been planning to leave prior to Merida’s departure, TheWrap continues.