This is the NUJ's take on the agreement announced yesterday over MEN Media's restructure which involves 70 editorial redundancies and the closure of weekly newspaper offices throughout Greater Manchester.
The NUJ said on its website: "A deal over redundancies at Guardian Media in Manchester will mean pay rises for weekly-paper journalists moving into the group’s city centre office. Eight jobs previously earmarked for the chop have also been saved.
"Management still want to make 11 journalists on the Manchester Evening News compulsorily redundant. However they have agreed to extend the period for volunteers to come forward until the autumn."
It quotes Bethan Dorsett, Mother of the Greater Manchester Weekly Newspapers South NUJ chapel, saying: “Our members have fought long and hard against the sweeping cuts proposed by MEN Media Ltd. While we deplore any job losses particularly as a result of compulsory redundancy, we are pleased that management have finally listened to our concerns.
“By making a stand, we have been able to save eight jobs and have made a significant step towards obtaining equal pay for staff working for weekly titles. The onus is now on our managers to enter into meaningful talks with the NUJ over the new house agreement.”
A new pay band in the agreement will mean rises of up to £2,000 for some weekly journalists, the NUJ said.
Manchester NUJ branch has pledged to continue with its campaign to support local journalism in towns where Guardian Media has closed offices.
Showing posts with label MEN Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MEN Media. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
MEN Media and NUJ agree on restructure
A joint statement from MEN Media, publisher of the Manchester Evening News and weekly newspapers in the North West, and the NUJ says they have reached an agreement over the restructure of the group.
The agreement will see the number of compulsory redundancies at the MEN cut from 16 to 11 and means the NUJ has agreed to make its ballot on industrial action against job cuts null and void.
The statement says: “MEN Media Limited and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have reached agreement on the re-structure of MEN Media’s newspapers in the North West. The Company has agreed to the introduction of a new pay grade for journalists previously working solely on weekly titles. This new grade will take effect in 2010.
"The NUJ has declared its recent ballots for industrial action to be null and void. Unfortunately, 11 journalists from the MEN will be made redundant by compulsory means. This is a reduction of five from earlier proposals.
"The total number of editorial redundancies across MEN Media is 70. These redundancies will take place later this year. Talks will start immediately on a new house agreement to encompass all three NUJ chapels.
"The agreement means that all MEN Media journalists will be based in Scott Place, Manchester by early October 2009. Both MEN Media and the NUJ record their intention to work together to ensure the editorial re-structure is successful and that this agreement,reached after a great deal of negotiation, should become a landmark in their future relationship.
"They also record their commitment to the newspapers they produce and the communities, readers and advertisers they serve.”
MEN NUJ MoC Judy Gordon told journalism.co.uk “Our chapel is pleased to have saved five jobs under threat at the MEN, but bitterly disappointed that 11 of our journalists will still be made compulsorily redundant, along with 18 volunteers, five other editorial compulsories and 35 colleagues from the weeklies who have opted to go.
"It’s going to be hard to pick up the pieces of these massive changes, but we are determined to do the best we can for those who are leaving, those who remain and those weekly staff who will be joining us at Deansgate in the future. We have great faith in our journalism and believe the Greater Manchester public does too.”
The agreement will see the number of compulsory redundancies at the MEN cut from 16 to 11 and means the NUJ has agreed to make its ballot on industrial action against job cuts null and void.
The statement says: “MEN Media Limited and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have reached agreement on the re-structure of MEN Media’s newspapers in the North West. The Company has agreed to the introduction of a new pay grade for journalists previously working solely on weekly titles. This new grade will take effect in 2010.
"The NUJ has declared its recent ballots for industrial action to be null and void. Unfortunately, 11 journalists from the MEN will be made redundant by compulsory means. This is a reduction of five from earlier proposals.
"The total number of editorial redundancies across MEN Media is 70. These redundancies will take place later this year. Talks will start immediately on a new house agreement to encompass all three NUJ chapels.
"The agreement means that all MEN Media journalists will be based in Scott Place, Manchester by early October 2009. Both MEN Media and the NUJ record their intention to work together to ensure the editorial re-structure is successful and that this agreement,reached after a great deal of negotiation, should become a landmark in their future relationship.
"They also record their commitment to the newspapers they produce and the communities, readers and advertisers they serve.”
MEN NUJ MoC Judy Gordon told journalism.co.uk “Our chapel is pleased to have saved five jobs under threat at the MEN, but bitterly disappointed that 11 of our journalists will still be made compulsorily redundant, along with 18 volunteers, five other editorial compulsories and 35 colleagues from the weeklies who have opted to go.
"It’s going to be hard to pick up the pieces of these massive changes, but we are determined to do the best we can for those who are leaving, those who remain and those weekly staff who will be joining us at Deansgate in the future. We have great faith in our journalism and believe the Greater Manchester public does too.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A tale of two cities: From new media in London to old media in Manchester in 30 minutes
I had a somewhat surreal day working for Press Gazette yesterday which took me from the brave new media world to the reality of what is facing regional newspapers, all within the same company.
It started with a breakfast press conference at The Guardian's sparkling new Kings Place office at which Guardian News & Media said it would be the first British newspaper publisher to open up its database to outside partners who will be able to use articles and statistics for free and build their own web applications. All surrounded by the sound of people live blogging the conference on their laptops.
Half an hour later I was back in Press Gazette's office following up a tip that the Guardian's MEN Media in Manchester was to make "significant" job cuts. While we had been blueskying in London about The Guardian being "everywhere" on the web, the storm clouds were gathering over Manchester.
It took a bit of winkling out because the company did not want to go public until after a series of staff briefings had finished at the end of the afternoon.
The figures as they emerged were dreadful. A total of 78 journalists jobs out of 150 redundancies are to go. What staggered me was 39 posts cut out of 90 on the Manchester Evening News, one of the great regional papers that has regularly and deservedly won top awards for its journalism. And more pain is likely to come at the Guardian's Surrey and Berkshire regional division today.
A web launch in London, devastating job cuts in print in Manchester.
A tale of two cities. A tale of two different media eras.
Johnston Press financial results here today show pre-tax profits down 28.1 per cent and UK advertising down 16.8 per cent.
It started with a breakfast press conference at The Guardian's sparkling new Kings Place office at which Guardian News & Media said it would be the first British newspaper publisher to open up its database to outside partners who will be able to use articles and statistics for free and build their own web applications. All surrounded by the sound of people live blogging the conference on their laptops.
Half an hour later I was back in Press Gazette's office following up a tip that the Guardian's MEN Media in Manchester was to make "significant" job cuts. While we had been blueskying in London about The Guardian being "everywhere" on the web, the storm clouds were gathering over Manchester.
It took a bit of winkling out because the company did not want to go public until after a series of staff briefings had finished at the end of the afternoon.
The figures as they emerged were dreadful. A total of 78 journalists jobs out of 150 redundancies are to go. What staggered me was 39 posts cut out of 90 on the Manchester Evening News, one of the great regional papers that has regularly and deservedly won top awards for its journalism. And more pain is likely to come at the Guardian's Surrey and Berkshire regional division today.
A web launch in London, devastating job cuts in print in Manchester.
A tale of two cities. A tale of two different media eras.
Johnston Press financial results here today show pre-tax profits down 28.1 per cent and UK advertising down 16.8 per cent.
Another day, another jobs disaster:150 jobs axed at MEN Media in Manchester
I've been working at Press Gazette today and covered the 150 redundancies, 78 of them journalists' jobs, by MEN Media in Manchester and the closure of all its weekly newspaper editorial offices.
Nearly half of the Manchester Evening News journalists, 39 out of 90, are to be made redundant and the paper is going to stop giving away so many free copies.
Guardian Media Group's regional division is expected to report profits down 85 per cent for 2008 to 2009 and to go into loss this year.
The business model for regional newspapers is not so much broken as smashed to pieces.
You can read the news story and NUJ reaction here and the management statement here.
Nearly half of the Manchester Evening News journalists, 39 out of 90, are to be made redundant and the paper is going to stop giving away so many free copies.
Guardian Media Group's regional division is expected to report profits down 85 per cent for 2008 to 2009 and to go into loss this year.
The business model for regional newspapers is not so much broken as smashed to pieces.
You can read the news story and NUJ reaction here and the management statement here.
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