At First Minister's questions in this week at the Scottish Parliament, Salmond said that he was seeking talks with the publisher after it proposed closure of its subsidiary Caledonian Offset earlier this week (5 October).

A spokesman for Johnston Press said: "This is not a proposal we are taking lightly and we will be happy to discuss it with the First Minister."

More than 100 jobs would be at risk if the plant were to close and most of Johnston Press's weekly titles would go to its Sunderland-based facility.

The Evening News would go to News International's Eurocentral facility and The Scotsman and the Scotland on Sunday would be printed at Trinity Mirror's Cardonald plant.

Unite has previously said that it hopes to help save some jobs at the plant.