Fairfax Media journalists say the quality of its mastheads is in jeopardy following the company's "aggressive" move to slash 120 jobs from Sydney and Melbourne newsrooms.
Ditching the pen for the placard, journalists have rallied outside Fairfax offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra to protest against a cost-cutting plan slated for the Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Journalists wearing "Fair go Fairfax" T-shirts were supported by NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley and Greens MP David Shoebridge in Pyrmont on Friday, a day after they voted to strike until Monday.
Mr Foley said journalists at the paper were vital because he didn't want to live in a "one newspaper town".
"That's not good for democracy," he told Friday's rally.
The "forensic work" of Fairfax journalists had forced the Labor party to lift its game on many occasions, he said.
The strike has snowballed with staff at WA Today voting to walk off the job for the first time, joining a slew of other Fairfax mastheads such as the Brisbane Times, Newcastle Herald and Illawarra Mercury.
Popular columnists Annabel Crabb and Peter FitzSimons have also said they will not file a column in coming days.
In Melbourne, more than 100 staff and union supporters gathered outside Media House.
"This came as a surprise. It was a fairly aggressive way of doing it in our opinion, and unnecessary," The Age business journalist Simon Johanson told AAP.
Mr Johanson said journalists understood the difficulties media businesses were facing, but criticised management for not providing details regarding the cuts.
"The only indication we've had is 120 full-time equivalents (will go). We don't know what the monetary figure is," he said.
"We're trying to find out. We've been asking management for more details."
Journalists said the company also wanted to reduce the amount of news it produced by one-third, meaning a cut from 9000 to 6000 stories a month.
Fairfax Media editorial director Sean Aylmer has told staff the company believes it can be more efficient at producing quality journalism.
"We will shortly enter a consultation period with staff and the MEAA (media union) on a proposal to reduce costs across News and Business in the Sydney and Melbourne newsrooms by the equivalent of 120 full-time employees," he said via email on Thursday.
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance has begun circulating a petition online.
Meanwhile, the Guardian Media Group says it will cut 250 jobs, including 100 editorial roles, in the UK.
But the Guardian Australia has confirmed the cuts won't affect local jobs and it is "business as usual".
