Herald move to put redundancies 'on hold' aimed at union reps claims NUJ

The surprise decision by Newsquest's Herald group in Glasgow to put its voluntary redundancy scheme "on hold" is aimed at NUJ reps, the union claims.
The NUJ says management at the company, which publishes The Hearld, Evening Times and Sunday Herald, stopped the scheme because they want the union's FoCs to sign away their rights to take legal action for victimisation.
The union has submitted grievances and tribunal claims on behalf of three FoCs for victimisation under trade union discrimination laws.
Allmediascotland reports: "Those who applied - they thought successfully - for voluntary redundancy are now being asked to apply for jobs they most probably have little appetite for. Around 40 journalists, from a first tranche of applicants, had heard, almost two weeks ago, they had been successful, prompting a second tranche, of about ten, to submit their applications."
Journalists were told in a memo from Herald editor-in-chief Donald Martin: “The voluntary redundancy process in editorial is on hold after talks with the NUJ broke down."

Not a chip off the old Blott

Newsquest Glasgow managing director Tim Blott has said the need to make radical changes - which will see up to 40 journalists on the Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald lose their jobs - was made “more urgent” by planned industrial action by NUJ members at the titles in protest at cost savings. There has been several disputes between Blott and the union in Glasgow. All the more surprising then that his father, Eric Blott, was a full time union official and held the post of deputy general secretary of the NUJ.