The move comes after Johnston Press decided to end day printing at the Leeds site, a step which is likely to cut the editions of the newspaper from five down to two.

Talks between the company and print workers union Unite, and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), are ongoing.

National Union of Journalists Father-of-chapel, Peter Lazenby, told printweek.com: "With more than 40 press hall jobs likely to go, all Johnston Press has come out with are the usual jolly platitudes of job redeployment elsewhere."

Unite branch official Steve Hart said: "The job cuts will mean a drop from 66.5 positions down to 22.5. It's nearly a closure. Our members are hard-working and long-serving. We're doing all we can to reject the proposals."

Hart added: "They've been offered alternative employment but this is as far reaching from Sheffield to Northern Ireland. We've put our suggestions on the table and we await their response."

A statement from Johnston Press chief executive Tim Bowdler confirmed that following a review of print operations, the group was announcing the "proposed cessation" of day printing at its Leeds press hall.

In the statement, he added: "As a result, 44 jobs are at risk of redundancy. Consultation is under way with those directly affected and their representatives.

"The company will make every effort to minimise the impact of this proposal on affected staff through voluntary redundancy and, where possible, by redeployment to alternative positions in the group."

Printing of the Yorkshire Post and Financial Times, both broadsheet titles, is due to continue at Leeds Web.