Members of a group that helped save the Honolulu Star-Bulletin eight years ago have formed a new organization in an attempt to prevent further cutbacks at The Honolulu Advertiser.

The Friends of the Honolulu Advertiser held a press conference yesterday on the steps of The Advertiser building to announce its goals and objectives. Many members of the group were involved in the successful effort to prevent the closure of the Star-Bulletin, Honolulu's other daily newspaper.

Now, as The Advertiser is embroiled in a labor dispute, the group is encouraging management and union employees to come to a contract agreement and avoid a possible work stoppage. Richard Port, Friends' spokesman, said the group also wants the company to delay in the announced layoff of 54 unionized employees who were told they would lose their jobs at the end of this week.

"We want to see the continuation of two local daily newspapers of continuing quality. We're concerned that with the layoffs, it is bound to have an effect on the quality of The Honolulu Advertiser," said Port, the former chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i. "Furthermore, we are concerned about the possibility of losing our Honolulu Advertiser should there be a strike."

The nearly 600 unionized members at The Advertiser have been working on a contract extension since the old contract expired in June 2007. In February, the workers overwhelmingly voted to authorize their union to call for a strike should talks fail.

Lee Webber, Advertiser publisher, said in a statement that he appreciated the Friends' concern of maintaining a quality publication. He said the steps that the newspaper is taking to reduce expenses are difficult, but necessary for The Advertiser to remain competitive.

"Those who support The Advertiser can best help us and our employees by recognizing the serious difficulties we face and the good-faith effort we are making to maintain the quality of our journalistic product," Webber said. "While The Advertiser finds it necessary to reduce its workforce (as are many local businesses, including many other newspapers across the country), we are doing our very best to accomplish the reduction without diminishing our journalistic product."

Port said he met with Webber and Mark Platte, Advertiser editor, last week and asked that the layoffs be postponed until a contract is reached. But Port said he was told by Webber that "that's not possible."

Port said he also was told by Webber that he did not believe there will be a strike.

Port added that his group is willing to work with both sides to ensure that The Advertiser continues to be published.

"We're trying to stay as neutral as possible, to give the negotiating teams the opportunity to work through this, as they should," Port said. "We know that the community supports having two newspapers. The public will not take kindly to going from two local newspapers to one local newspaper."