Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News staffers received layoff letters Friday from the newspapers' new ownership, but were assured they are only a procedural move, according to the Inquirer.

“The new company 'will continue as the employer of all employees,' says the letter mailed to union employees or their representatives Friday. It adds that the letter also serves as 'notification' if the federal WARN Act applies to any future company action,'” the Inquirer reports.

The letter follows the recent auction of parent company Philadelphia Newspapers to a group of investors following the company's bankruptcy. The move means Publisher Brian Tierney, who orchestrated the purchase of the papers in 2006, will no longer be in charge.

“They reiterated their commitment to offering employment to all current employees,” Dan Gross, a Daily News columnist and newsroom union president, said in the story.