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It’s not just tube drivers, airline workers and lawyers who are discontented with pay and conditions this summer as the cost of living crisis bites.
Journalists at numerous UK and US publishers are making their voices heard through their unions as well.
So far in the UK, National Union of Journalists members at Reach and National World-owned titles in Scotland have announced their intention to ballot for industrial action over pay and redundancies respectively.
We will keep this page updated with developments relating to pay offers and industrial action across the industry. If something is going on at your company you feel we should know about, please get in touch at [email protected].
Scottish National World journalists support strike ballot
1/7/22: Journalists at National World-owned Scotsman Group, which includes staff at The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening Post, have given overwhelming support for a strike ballot.
Press Gazette understands staff voted 90% in favour of strike action, on a 72% turnout, in an indicative ballot (the initial vote taken by unions before they can officially ballot members on industrial action).
The vote came after a redundancy plan was revealed that could see around 30 jobs cut across National World’s ex-JPI titles, with Scottish outlets particularly badly hit, to be replaced by the same number of digital roles at the publisher’s new city websites.
A source at an impacted title told Press Gazette the move would cut the affected JPI titles to “within an inch of their life”.
The union must now officially inform National World of the result before balloting members again.
The full results of any eventual vote are expected to come at some point in August.
NUJ Scottish national organiser John Toner told Press Gazette: “This is just another round of cuts at the Scottish National World titles which leaves our members worrying about both their workload, the effect on the quality of the journalism, and whether National World has any sustainable strategy.
“Given all of this, it comes as no surprise that our members at The Scotsman titles voted with over 90% support for industrial action in the indicative ballot.”
Mirror union accepts pay offer
1/7/22: Mirror journalists have accepted the 3%, or £750 minimum, pay offer that NUJ members in the company rejected. The Mirror’s bargaining unit is, uniquely at Reach, run by the British Association of Journalists.
BAJ members will receive the salary increase in their July pay backdated to 1 April.
This is despite a Mirror front page in June being the basis of an accusation of “hypocrisy” from the NUJ as it attacked five chief executives earning up to 86 times their average workers’ pay when Reach chief executive Jim Mullen earns 104 times more than the average salary of his employees.
The NUJ has not yet officially notified Reach of its intention to ballot for industrial action, but has said it will do so. Reach is understood to remain open to further negotiations.
It has told staff the size of the 3% offer reflects the need to continue investing in its digital strategy at the same time as dealing with hugely increased newsprint and energy costs.
Wired staff in US plan strike
1/7/22: The Wired Union at Conde Nast in the US has said that more than 97% of its members, around 60 people, are prepared to walk out to coincide with Amazon’s Prime Day on 12 and 13 July if the company does not agree to a “fair” pay increase, grant writers more intellectual property rights over their work, and recognise staff on the reviews team as part of the union.
They have chosen Prime Day because, they said, their work is “especially visible and profitable” then as the online shopping day brings in a lot of revenue and clicks for the site. They asked supporters not to visit the Wired website on those two days unless a “fair deal” is signed before then.
Alan Henry, senior editor of service at Wired, said: “The fact that management has been so unwilling to move on salary minimums that will attract both new and diverse talent shows where their real priorities are.
“Management has a short-sighted view of Wired’s success if they don’t realise a strong contract where workers feel adequately compensated and protected will make the workplace and publication better.”
Reach staff reject pay offer and may strike
27/6/22: NUJ members at Reach will take part in a ballot for industrial action after they rejected a 3%, or £750 minimum, pay offer.
This motion was “overwhelmingly” passed: “This group chapel, through its constituent chapels, rejects Reach plc’s final pay offer for 2022 of 3% or £750.
“In the absence of any other significant improvement to the offer from the company, the group chapel reluctantly requests that the union now move to ballot members over potential industrial action on pay.”
Reach staff who are not currently union members will get a 50% six-month discount on NUJ subs if they join before the end of July to encourage them to take part.
Picture: Flickr/Magnus Hagdorn
The post Summer of strikes? Journalists at Reach and National World consider industrial action appeared first on Press Gazette.
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