Morning Star Strike Dates 13 February 2009
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NUJ members at the London-based Morning Star are to strike over low pay. They’ve voted 11 to three in a ballot for industrial action and last night called a one-day walk-out for Monday 23 February – with a week of strike action to follow if management refuses to compromise. NUJ Father of Chapel Steve Mather said: “We’re not going to take any more of our bosses’ broken promises.” Two years ago, management at the socialist daily averted strike action by pledging to boost pay as soon as money was available. But, after a £600,000 investment from an “anonymous consortium”, staff have been told that none of it will go on their wages. NUJ members have roundly rejected an offer close to 2008 inflation – effectively a pay freeze – alongside a one-off four per cent bonus, because it does nothing to address the long term issue of low pay at the title. Steve explained: “We don’t need one-off bribes, we need a step towards decent pay. “We all work hard to bring out a decent paper against all the odds, yet our bosses won’t even pay us £19,000 after the biggest investment in our history.” NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear backed the Morning Star chapel, saying: “Our members feel forced into this action by a management that is refusing to pay its staff a fair rate for their work. They don’t want to go out on strike but if that’s what it takes to win fair pay then they are clear that is what they’ll do.” Deputy Father of Chapel Carl Worswick added: “It’s time for management to put its money where its mouth is. We write about workers fighting for fair pay all the time – now it’s our turn.” The paper’s management committee, which includes several leading trade union figures, has already unilaterally imposed an offer of three per cent on the journalists. The imposition of a pay deal has only served to intensify the dispute. The NUJ has today served notice on Morning Star management that its members will take strike action on Monday 23 February and from Sunday 1 March to Friday 6 March. 13 February 09
Ballot at Morning Star 26 January 2009
Posted by steve1917 in NUJ, disputes.Tags: Morning Star, NUJ
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At the January branch meeting, members pledged full support to the NUJ chapel at the Morning Star paper, whose members are balloting, as we go to press, for industrial action. After many months of getting nowhere, NUJ members have had enough. As a result journalists could be taking action over pay as early as this month. Management, in the form of lead negotiator John Haylett has already responded by saying “Socialists of any stripe should not be applauding the actions of a group of workers who are putting their own interests before those of our class as a whole.” He also added that all journalists were warned, when starting work, that pay was “crap” – well, he said it! The following report has been posted on the NUJ website:
Sub-editors and reporters at the title are balloting for industrial action after bosses at the newspaper tore up a commitment to try to close the pay gap with other national journalists, despite receiving hundreds of thousands of pounds in new investment.
The workers at the historic newspaper, which has a solid reputation of strongly backing unions and the labour movement, are demanding fair pay after years of accepting management’s requests for sacrifice.
Last July, after a fire swept through the Morning Star’s newsroom in Bow, east London, the staff worked through their days off to salvage what they could from the devastated building, and set up computers and offices in journalists’ homes to ensure that the paper never missed an edition.
National Union of Journalists workplace rep Steve Mather pointed out that the Morning Star’s journalists had “proved their commitment to the paper time and time again.”
Steve related how all the reporters and sub-editors are still paid far less than the newspaper industry’s average wage – leaving them on take home pay in London that amounts to little more than £270 a week.
“Every year we are told that we are a ‘special case’ – that the Morning Star does not make enough money to bring our wages up to the level of other journalists doing similar work,” he said.
“But this year, contrary to other papers that are demanding redundancies, closing down offices or trying to cut costs by making reporters do the sub-editors’ work, the Morning Star is actually proposing to take on new staff in the next few months,” he revealed.
“The paper has received half a million pounds in new investment – the largest injection of cash in the paper’s history – but our management have told us bluntly that not a penny of it is to go towards our wages.”
Fellow workplace rep Carl Worswick added: “We are not asking for thousands of pounds. We just want our management to keep their promises to us.”
“They have constantly pledged to address our low wages, but now that they have the cash they are refusing to honour that commitment.”
Carl continued: “Reporters at the Morning Star write every day about the struggles of workers fighting back for fair pay – now it’s our turn.”
Updated news will be posted on the branch website as we get it.
Thomson Reuters 13 January 2009
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Members of the National Union of Journalists at Thomson Reuters have rejected the company’s 2009/10 pay offer and are urging it to drop its attempts to impose a draconian performance pay regime on staff.
Union officials have invoked formal dispute procedures over the across-the board pay proposal of 1.25 pct, plus a further 1.25 pct based on performance.
The NUJ requested a settlement reflecting inflation and the impact on staff of an extremely difficult 2008, in which the merged Thomson Reuters sought about 70 editorial compulsory redundancies in the UK, which the NUJ prevented by forcing the company to offer voluntary severance.
The union has also made concessions in negotiations with management over this year’s pay offer, given the current economic climate.
But the union believes the company is being inflexible and unreasonable with its latest offer, which is well below RPI inflation of 3 pct and CPI inflation of 4.1 pct and even more so when the discretionary element is removed.
The union believes the 1.25 pct performance-based element breaches its house agreement, which calls for salary increases to be negotiated collectively.
The response constitutes an attempt to replace a fair and reasonable pay rise for all with a performance-related increase for a selected few, rather than a genuine effort to offset any potential impact on the company of the economic downturn.
Barry Fitzpatrick, NUJ Head of Publishing, said: “This below-inflation offer is effectively a large pay cut for people who worked tirelessly to keep the business running smoothly in 2008, despite the fear of job cuts and the disruption caused by the merger.
“The union is concerned that the company is trying to impose a draconian, ideologically-driven performance pay regime on staff, undermining our members’ collective bargaining rights and rewarding the few at the expense of the many.”
In November, the company announced an 8 pct rise in third-quarter revenues to $3.3 billion, a 17 percent rise in underlying operating profit to $676m, integration ahead of plan with $550 million of savings achieved by the end of September and expectations of continued profit growth, according to chief executive Tom Glocer.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ deputy general secretary, said: “Given these positive results and the relatively upbeat outlook, the union regrets that the company has decided against making a fair and reasonable pay award to staff following a very difficult year. We will have to consult members and consider our options if our reasonable demands are not met.”
If the formal disputes procedure does not result in an outcome satisfactory to the union, members at Thomson Reuters have instructed chapel officials to prepare for industrial action.
You can get an application form and a postage-paid envelope to join the TFN NUJ chapel at Thomson Reuters by contacting chapel reps Frank Prenesti or Philip Waller, by calling the NUJ on 0207 278 7916, by emailing join@nuj.org.uk or by visiting www.nuj.org.uk
JAN 2009 Branch Meeting 13 January 2009
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Dear members,
This is a quick note to remind you about the first London Central monthly branch meeting of the year, which takes place tonight, Tuesday Jan 13, at 7pm at NUJ HQ, Headland House in Gray’s Inn Road, just five minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras International rail stations.
The meeting, which is on the theme of Chapel Power, will include a discussion about how the branch’s chapels can protect quality journalism and combat job losses and poor pay deals imposed by managements facing pressure from shareholders to protect profits and dividends.
It will be a chance to share news and views about what’s happening in the industry with colleagues at national newspapers, agencies and other media organisations.
The meeting will be a useful preparation for the NUJ’s Jobs Summit, which takes place on Saturday 24th January from 11am – 4pm. The summit is a special one-day event being held to bring together NUJ members to help them take a stand against the redundancies, budget cuts and pay freezes currently being inflicted on our industry.
The conference is free to all NUJ members. To reserve your place, email: campaigns@nuj.org.uk
So please come along and join us at tonight’s branch meeting, there will be drinks in a local pub afterwards.
Jan 24th Update 18 December 2008
Posted by steve1917 in NUJ, events.Tags: London Central NUJ, NUJ
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Top investigative journalist signs up for the summit
Nick Davies – author of Flat Earth News – is to be the opening speaker at the NUJ Jobs Summit in London on 24 January. Nick’s book chronicles how staff cuts and increased workloads in newsrooms have lead to independent journalism being replaced by public relations handouts.
The day will also include sessions on challenging redundancies and budget cuts, as well as looking at why there’s still a future for quality journalism. To register, email campaigns@nuj.org.uk
Xmas Party This Tues 8 December 2008
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This is just a reminder to all NUJ London Central Branch members that the branch Xmas Party takes place this Tuesday, December 9th, at the ‘Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese’ pub, 145 Fleet St,starting at 7.00pm for 7.30pm.
A hot and cold buffet selection will be laid on and the branch will be buying a round of drinks!
Note that a short branch meeting will be taking place before the social starts.
Next Branch Meetings 21 November 2008
Posted by steve1917 in NUJ, events.Tags: London Central NUJ, National Union of Journalists, NUJ
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The next two meetings of the London Central NUJ branch will take place on Tuesday 9th December 2008 and Tuesday 13 January 2009. The December meeting will take place at the ‘Ye Old Cheshire Cheese’ at 6.30pm before the branch Xmas social starts. The January meeting will start at 7.00pm and take place at the usual venue of the NUJ Headquarters, 308-320 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8DP – just fives minutes walk from King’s Cross Station.
One matter we will be discussing at the December meeting will be a request to donate £3000 towards the cost of the legal challenge against the shutting down of the Express pension scheme. This ‘cost saving’ measure on the part of management is clearly linked to the decision to cut 69 editorial jobs at the Daily and Sunday Express.
As we come to the end of the year, things are clearly not looking good across the whole industry, including the national titles. Apart from the job cuts at the Express, the union is also having to mount a response to proposed staff cuts at the Independent and the decision of Trinity Mirror’s management to impose a pay freeze with the 2009 annual pay review being cancelled and existing bonus arrangements suspended.
One thing is certain, more attacks will follow and many journalists will be wondering what the next few months will bring. Now, more than ever, a strong stance from the NUJ will be needed because only the union can mount a serious defence of those jobs and conditions now being threatened as newspaper managements seek to protect owners profits at our expense.
As part of this response, the union is mobilising for a Job Summit to be held in London on the 24th January 2009. See the advert in this coming issue of Bylines for full details or just scroll down on this site.
MPs back Trinity Mirror journalists 21 November 2008
Posted by steve1917 in NUJ, disputes.Tags: London Central NUJ, National Union of Journalists, NUJ, Trinity Mirror
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Members of Parliament have rallied to the support of journalists facing pay cuts and job losses at the UK’s biggest newspaper publishing company.
Trinity Mirror announced a year long pay freeze yesterday. They have already cut more than 1,200 jobs in the past year and closed 44 titles.
Austin Mitchell, Labour MP for Great Grimsby, a former television journalist and chair of the NUJ parliamentary group, has tabled an Early Day Motion – a parliamentary petition – condemning the pay freeze.
He said: “The answer to bad trading conditions isn’t to reduce the quality of newspapers by firing journalists or cutting pay. Trinity Mirror has already axed 1,200 jobs. Enough is enough. Stop the rot and boost the quality. Don’t attack the journalists.”
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP, Ashok Kumar, has tabled another Early Day Motion deploring the moves by Trinity Mirror to close district offices -including one in Guisborough in his constituency -and to make a number of editorial staff redundant from the Middlesbrough based Evening Gazette.
He said: “These moves will rebound on the paper. The staff based in the district offices are the eyes and ears of the paper in areas where there is often a lot of news generated.
“These closures would mean that local news may end up unreported, and which in turn would mean a blander paper, and one that could lose readership as a result.
“The Early Day Motion, which has already generated a degree of support from fellow MPs is asking Trinity Mirror at the highest level to think again about their plans for costs cutting, and in particular about plans to close their district offices.”
John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington and secretary of the NUJ parliamentary group, said: “During this time of economic hardship, Trinity Mirror should be doing all it can to protect the working conditions of journalists and maintain its skill base in order to be able to continue to provide the important service our communities rely upon.
“Driving journalists into financial hardship is not the solution to any of the problems the company faces and brings into question Trinity Mirror’s future commitment to providing local news.”
Trinity Mirror owns two of Wales’s morning newspapers, the evening paper in Cardiff and a string of weeklies across the principality.
Plaid Cymru MP for Caernarfon and a member of the NUJ parliamentary group, Hywel Williams said: “Trinity Mirror currently owns a large part of the Welsh newspaper industry, both morning and weekly titles. This announcement therefore will be a bitter blow a large proportion of Welsh journalists.
“It is unacceptable that one company can have such a substantial effect on journalism in Wales. This announcement bodes ill for individual journalists, the profession as a whole and more widely for pluralism in Welsh newspapers.”
Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP for Islington North and a member of the NUJ parliamentary group, said: “Journalists at their best are the unsung heroes of democracy. Properly paid and effective local journalists are the life blood of local democracy and information provision.
‘This action by Trinity Mirror does not show support and respect for the people who have kept the company going. Inflation is still a problem, bills have to be paid, and jobs have to be retained. I support the NUJ.”
National Union of Journalists workplace chapels are meeting around the country to decide their reaction to the announcement.
20 November 2008 (nuj.org.uk)
Jobs Summit 20 November 2008
Posted by steve1917 in NUJ, disputes, events.Tags: Jobs Summit, National Union of Journalists, NUJ
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The NUJ is calling a Jobs Summit to co-ordinate our response to the cuts scything through all areas of the media. Workplace reps who have successfully fought job losses will be explaining how they did it – so we can build on those achievements and co-ordinate our response across the industry.
Sessions are also planned on negotiating agreements that prevent redundancies and ensure manageable workloads for remaining staff; helping people who lose their jobs to find work; and explaining the economics of the cuts in the media.
The Jobs Summit starts at noon on Saturday 24 January 2009, at NUJ headquarters, Grays Inn Road, London, WC1X 8DP.
Put the date in your diary or email campaigns@nuj.org.uk for more information
