NUJ claims Shropshire jobs' victory as Yorkshire Post action continues

The NUJ claims five compulsory redundancies expected at Shropshire Newspapers have been stopped 24 hours after management were given notice of industrial action.
NUJ members were particularly angry that trainees had been targeted for job cuts. The union claims that up until last week the company said five redundancies were still needed at the Midland News Association-owned newspaper group.
Earlier this week the NUJ gave notice of a mandatory union meeting for journalists to be held on Wednesday 11 March and the union says the company responded by saying they were no longer seeking the compulsory redundancies and would find savings elsewhere.
Chris Morley, NUJ Northern regional organiser, said: “This is a fantastic result especially as the chapel is not recognised."
Journalists were picketing the Yorkshire Post building in Leeds today after management refused to allow them to hold a 7am union meeting on the premises. Today's action is the tenth day of picketing at the Johnston Press company’s headquarters on Wellington Street in Leeds.
The next strike action is scheduled for tomorrow and Wednesday 11 March.

Strike this week at Yorkshire Post as talks fail

Talks aimed at ending the series of four-day strikes at Johnston-Press owned Yorkshire Post Newspapers have failed.
It means the NUJ now plans to go ahead with another four day strike against compulsory redundancies starting on Thursday this week.
The NUJ chapel met with Leeds managing director Chris Green yesterday but no agreement was reached and the union says the management would not budge over 15 redundancies at the company, which publishes the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post.
Meanwhile, Grimsby Labour MP Austin Mitchell has put down an Early Day Motion supporting "the journalists who are taking strike action in defence of jobs and quality journalism at the Yorkshire Post ." The EDM also notes: "Johnston Press's profit margins have been amongst the highest in the sector, often bringing in more than 30 per cent. returns, making hundreds of millions of pounds profit, and that former chief executive Tim Bowdler's 2007 remuneration was over £1 million including a performance-related bonus of £516,000."
You can read the full EDM here.

This is the winter of our discontent: More NUJ ballots for industrial action on cuts

Journalists at Staffordshire Newspapers have followed the NUJ chapel at Shropshire Newspapers by voting in favour of industrial action as the number of ballots being conducted at media companies across the UK escalates.
At Staffordshire Newspapers 93 percent voted for industrial action, with 80 percent backing strike action, the NUJ said today. The Iliffe-owned company has said it would not press ahead with compulsory redundancies, but journalists are concerned about the closure of district offices. At Shropshire Newspapers 83 percent voted for industrial action, with 59 percent backing the possibility of a strike, the union said. The Midland News Association-owned company announced 12 compulsory redundancies including trainee reporters.
NUJ members at Yorkshire Post Newspapers returned to work this morning after four days of strike action over compulsory redundancies. Another four days of strike action is planned at YPN from this Thursday.
Journalists resisting redundancies at Newsquest York have given notice of possible industrial action every weekday until the end of March.
Meanwhile, voting papers are being sent to the NUJ’s 3,000 plus members at the BBC after the corporation announced compulsory redundancies in Scotland.
Ballots for industrial action over cutbacks are underway at the Derry Journal in Northern Ireland, the Independent in London, and at the Reed Business Information magazine group.

BBC video report on Yorkshire Post strike

A BBC report on the first day of the four day strike action by NUJ journalists at Johnston Press-owned Yorkshire Post Newspapers in Leeds, including an interview with FoC Peter Lazenby, can be seen here.

NUJ accuses PA of 'strikebreaking' as Yorkshire Post staff start four day walk out

The NUJ accused the Press Association of being an "electronic strikebreaker" by planning to supply Yorkshire Post Newspapers in Leeds with extra copy as journalists started the first of two four-day strikes against job cuts today.
The union said more than 50 people were on the picket line in Leeds this morning and the strike also covered offices in Hull, Sheffield, Bradford, Wakefield, London, Harrogate, Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Scarborough and Northallerton.
NUJ members at the group have voted to strike after Johnston Press-owned YPN, which publishes the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post, announced compulsory redundancies. Today's and Friday’s strikes will culminate with rallies at 4pm each day outside the company’s headquarters on Wellington Street in Leeds.
The NUJ saidit has learned that the Press Association news agency at Howden is planning to supply extra work to the company during the stoppage.
Chris Morley, NUJ northern regional organiser, said: "We are not surprised that PA is setting itself up to be an electronic strikebreaker while our members at the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post take a principled stand for quality journalism."
Shropshire journalists have voted for strike action over job cuts.