There is increasing uncertainty over redundancies at Perth's only daily newspaper, The West Australian, with management putting a temporary halt on forced redundancies.

Just three days after staff were informed an involuntary redundancy process would begin this week, employees have been told the process was being halted, at least temporarily.

An email sent to staff by the paper's editor Brett McCarthy stated voluntary redundancies would be looked at further before forced job cuts were explored, but he added that process would begin soon if there were insufficient applications.

The email appeared to indicate that photographers and sub-editors could be among those to bear the brunt of any forced redundancy process.

"We agreed that before involuntary redundancies would commence, staff would be given until 5:00pm this Wednesday, July 27, to volunteer," the email stated.

"The voluntary phase of this process has failed to make the required amount of savings.

"To make further savings we will be mainly looking at photographic, graphic artists and sub-editors (but not limited to those areas)."

Staff have still not been told how many positions will have to go, with management working towards a dollar figure rather than a number of jobs.

However staff are expecting the process will result in around 30 editorial staff leaving, either voluntarily or by force.

Employees who applied for voluntary redundancies were told last week whether they had been successful. It is understood some applications were turned down by management.

The redundancy process comes ahead of the competition watchdog's decision on whether Seven West Media's purchase of The Sunday Times can proceed.

In announcing the redundancies last month, Seven West Media, which owns The West Australian, said the newspaper was working towards a new organisational structure in an unstable economic environment.