Journalists continue action

NUJ York has taken further industrial action, after Newsquest sought to impose compulsory redundancies at The Press.
The chapel held a mandatory meeting on Friday, after two long-serving journalists were told they were losing their jobs. Journalists walked out at noon and did not return to work that day.
Joint fathers of chapel Tony Kelly and Gavin Aitchison said: "We have warned Newsquest repeatedly that we will not tolerate compulsory redundancies. The union has identified and proposed alternative savings, worth tens of thousands of pounds, which negated the need for compulsory job losses.
"These proposals have not been implemented. Despite a conciliatory approach, and our best efforts, two of York's most loyal and devoted journalists have now been told they will lose their jobs, in order to satisfy the excessive demands of Newsquest's American owners and shareholders. It is utterly unacceptable."
Further meetings have been planned for the next four days, including an all-day walk-out on Thursday.

Journalists take a stand

Journalists at The Press and Gazette and Herald in York walked out of work as their dispute with management over job losses continued.

Members of NUJ chapel held a 12-hour meeting yesterday [Tuesday 24 February], starting at noon and finishing at midnight. The meeting, held in the Five Lions pub in Walmgate, York, came following last Friday’s announcement that seven out of 59 editorial jobs were to go at the Newsquest titles.

It was the latest in a series of mandatory meetings held by the chapel in recent weeks, but the first to last more than an hour. It is believed to have caused major disruption to both the daily title, The Press, and its weekly sister-paper, the Gazette and Herald, which prints on a Tuesday.

The NUJ has called for guarantees that Newsquest will not force through compulsory job losses at the papers, to no avail. The decision to stay out all afternoon yesterday followed the release, by managing editor Steve Hughes, of a skills matrix, proposed for use in the event of compulsory lay-offs.

Joint Fathers of Chapel, Tony Kelly and Gavin Aitchison, said: “We have been pressing the company for nearly two months to assure our members that there will be no compulsory redundancies. Newsquest has failed to give that assurance, and having seen the arbitrary and unjust assessment criteria proposed by the company, the chapel decided it was time to take a stand.

“The Press and Gazette and Herald have suffered horrific cuts in recent years. The papers have been mismanaged and mistreated, and further cuts will only serve to further hinder our ability to serve our readers in York, North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire.

“Newsquest (York) Ltd has repeatedly recorded multi-million profits, which have been shipped to its parent company in the United States. The journalists and readers of The Press and Gazette and Herald deserve better than Newsquest is able or willing to offer.”

Adam Christie, NUJ National Executive Council member for the North East of England, who attended the meeting, said: “If taking action is the only way journalists can get their voices heard, then this is what we will have to do.”

More cuts announced

SEVEN out of 59 editorial jobs are set to be cut at The Press in York.
Newsquest management announced the cuts in a staff meeting on the newsroom floor this afternoon.
The proposed cuts include four journalists, two editorial support staff and a graphic artist.
NUJ York today condemned the decision, the latest in a series of cut-backs at The Press.
In a statement, joint fathers of chapel Tony Kelly and Gavin Aitchison said: "The Press and its journalists have been battered by repeated and callous cuts in recent years, placing serious strain on our ability to serve the people of York, North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire.
"Today's announcement is a further body-blow to local journalism in our region. We have no faith whatsoever in Newsquest's commitment to quality journalism, nor its ability to deliver it."
The NUJ chapel has already given notice of industrial action for every weekday between now and March 30.
Jenny Lennox, NUJ Assistant Organiser, said: “By giving notice of discontinuous industrial action, starting afresh every day at noon, the chapel has the option of meeting whenever they feel the need to.”
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ Deputy General Secretary, also condemned the cuts.
She said: "Our chapel is very resourceful and we will support them fully in their battle to defend journalists and journalism.”
The news comes as journalists at the Yorkshire Post - which also covers York - and its sister paper the Yorkshire Evening Post are striking over redundancies.

NUJ Leeds the way

Journalists at the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, over savage cuts planed by Johnston Press.
The NUJ will be striking from Thursday 19 February to Sunday 22 February, and again from Thursday 26 February to Sunday 1 March.

NUJ York backs the NUJ Leeds chapel 100% in their fight against Johnston's continued butchery of local journalism.

A Facebook group has been set up for anyone wanting to show their support to the journalists. NUJ York will also be joining NUJ Leeds on the picket line during the strike.

Back on the go...

After a six-month hiatus, we're planning to get the blog up and running as a regular source of NUJ York news. Watch this space...

Sing when you're winning

After the conclusion of this year's pay deal, NUJ members at Newsquest York rounded off their campaign with a social event at the city's Minster Inn on July 16.

The evening, atttended by most chapel members, featured subeditor-striker-singer Richard Foster performing his popular strike song Things I Learnt This Year as well as a new tune about the dispute: Gannett Mean And Petty. Click on the picture above to see video of his performance. His set list also included Bob Dylan's You Ain't Going Nowhere, Billy Bragg's Between the Wars, Part of the Union by The Stawbs and, of course, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. More videos are available on the chapel's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/nujyork

First with the news

The conclusion of our recent pay deal has been covered across the trade press: on the Media Guardian website, Hold The Front Page, Journalism.co.uk and the media industry weekly Press Gazette.

Some of the stories were changed after management refuted the fact that new trainees will get an increase of 17% (going from £13,449 to £16,188) after a three-month probationary period rate was scrapped. This is, in fact, the case and it will make a real difference to new starters who are struggling with student debt and rising living costs in an expensive city like York. We have also set a new baseline in the fight against low pay.

In traditional Newsquest style, the bosses did not issue a statement themselves. Who would have thought we work in the communications industry? Likewise, The Press's own coverage of the pay deal was meagre at best. A small nib on page seven of today's paper reads:

Pay offer accepted
Members of the National Union of Journalists at The Press have accepted the company's three per cent pay offer, ending a ten-month dispute. NUJ members at the newspaper and its sister title, the weekly Gazette & Herald, owned by the Newsquest Media Group, staged a five-day strike in May following a deadlock in talks. Agreement has now been reached following further talks between management, NUJ officials and the arbitration service ACAS.

The chapel had requested for a detailed, fair article covering the conclusion of the dispute, allowing also a comment from an NUJ spokesman. Sadly, in the end this was not permitted.

Job cuts figure is cut

John Greenway, the Conservative MP for Ryedale in North Yorkshire, has written to chapel officers saying he is concerned about the situation facing journalists at The Press and the Gazette & Herald. He said he will be writing to Paul Davidson, chairman and chief executive of Newsquest Media Group, expressing his concerns. He will also be copying his letter to David Coates, Newsquest's regional managing director, and Steve Hughes, Newsquest's man in York. We applaud John for his staunch support for quality local journalism.

The chapel had some positive news this week when management revealed it is now only looking at making five redundancies within the editorial department, rather than the eight originally planned. Editor Kevin Booth also told NUJ members that no compulsory redundancies would be made after nine journalists applied for voluntary redundancy. An announcement on which areas of the newsroom will be hit is expected early next week when the "consultation period" reaches a conclusion.

Making the links

Our dispute with management has certainly brought us closer to other trade unionists in York and beyond. We were buoyed by the support we had during our five-day strike and we have tried to return the favour.

So when we received a call from Communication Workers Union (CWU) reps asking for assistance we were only too happy to help. On Wednesday, one of our NUJ members took part in a CWU media school for postal worker reps at the union's office in Gillygate, York. He discussed the inner workings of a local newspaper and gave advice on how to approach the media, before taking part in a filmed mock interview of a CWU rep.

On the same day one of our number visited the Leeds NUJ Branch to speak about the dispute and what we see as ongoing struggles within the newspaper industry against low pay. Our colleagues in Leeds showed huge solidarity during our strike - donating some £750 in all to our fund - so we were pleased to be able to thank them personally.

Pay deal's signed and sealed

Journalists in York have reached agreement with bosses at Newsquest, bringing a ten-month long dispute to a close. As a result of the deal negotiations on 2009 pay will be brought forward and are expected to begin within weeks. Further talks are also planned to improve the union’s recognition agreement and the company’s pay banding structure.

NUJ members at The Press and the Gazette & Herald newspapers voted to accept a 3 per cent salary increase, but pledged to continue their fight for decent pay. The agreement ends a long-running campaign by the 33-strong NUJ chapel, which staged a five-day strike in May and another day of industrial action last month.

The agreed deal, which will be backdated to January, includes an increase of almost 17 per cent for new trainees and a 13 per cent rise in payments to specialist reporters. It takes the basic rate for senior journalists over £20,000 for the first time and includes increases in meal allowances and extra cash for Bank Holiday working.

Shortly after their second round of action, NUJ members were hit by news of eight redundancies planned in the editorial department. A total of 29 jobs are to go within Newsquest’s York division – about 14 per cent of the workforce.

Joint Father of Chapel Sam Southgate said: “These savage cuts demonstrate just what Newsquest employees are up against. The chapel still feels we deserve an above-inflation pay rise that recognises our hard work and commitment. But we also feel duty bound to secure the best deal possible for those who are forced out. We will resist any compulsory redundancies and we will carry on our battle against low pay. In the coming weeks chapel members will begin drawing up next year’s claim.”

Sam thanked all those who had supported the chapel during the long-running dispute. He said: “We were overwhelmed by the support our campaign received from fellow journalists and trade unionists across the country. From readers, local councillors and MPs the message was loud and clear: the job our members do is highly valued by this community. Our hope is that Newsquest bosses have come to recognise this fact and will begin to invest in their skilled and dedicated team of journalists.”

Joint Father of Chapel Tony Kelly added: “We hope Newsquest management has realised the anger and frustration felt by their staff over low pay, overwork and understaffing. We now look forward to taking part in meaningful discussions that aim seriously to address these ongoing problems.”

Pressing home the message

We learned today that two more of our colleagues are facing redundancy, this time in Newsquest York's advertising department. It takes the tally to 29 from a workforce of about 210; the chapel rightly feels these cuts will be devastating to the long-term future of both The Press and the Gazette & Herald.

We raised the issue at a full meeting of City of York Council on Monday when joint Father of Chapel Sam Southgate went along to speak. He thanked those councillors from all parties who supported NUJ members during our five-day strike in May and spelt out the situation journalists at the company are now facing, before detailing the threat to democracy and the local community posed by cuts and a deterioration in the regional press.

In other news, we have heard from City of York MP Hugh Bayley, who said in a letter to the chapel he is concerned about the situation at Newsquest York following the redundancy plans. He said:

"York would lose a valuable asset if its daily paper closed or if the quality of its coverage declined. The media have an important role as public watchdogs, and the national media do not examine the range of issues covered by regional and local papers. There is an overriding public interest in keeping local papers going."

That Friday feeling...

Another Friday afternoon, another letter from managing director Steve Hughes lands on the chapel's desk. You have to admire management for their consistency - we could set our watches by these 4.50pm letters. In any case, negotiations over our 2008 pay award are still ongoing. We'll report here when there's some concrete progress.

In more encouraging news, the chapel strike fund today received a brilliant donation of £400 from the Oxford NUJ Branch. Our thanks to our fellow trade unionists there, many of whom have experience of Newsquest's corrosive policies first-hand at the Oxford Mail.

Talking about the dispute

Following a visit to the TUC Trades Councils Conference in Sheffield last weekend, we were invited to speak at Leeds Trades Union Council (TUC) about our dispute.

Joint Father of Chapel Sam Southgate attended the TUC's meeting last night and gave the background to our five-day strike in May, where the situation is now with the planned redundancies and the ongoing negotiations. (Chapel and national NUJ officers met with management and ACAS yesterday but a deal has not been agreed.)

There was a good discussion about the dispute in a question and answer session and Leeds TUC donated £50 towards the chapel's strike fund, for which we are very grateful.

Reporting the redundancies

News of the eight planned redundancies (in addition to one post remaining unfilled) among editorial staff at The Press and the Gazette & Herald has reached the trade press, with Press Gazette and Hold The Front Page both covering the story.

Hold The Front Page also has news of more brutal job cuts by Newsquest at the Northern Echo, based in Darlington. There, ten editorial posts are to be axed through non-replacement of staff and early retirements, rather than redundancies, which gives some idea of how below-strength this rapacious company runs its newsrooms.

The NUJ website nationally also covers the stories, with its coverage of the York job cuts making clear that management's "consultation" is a sham as union representatives have been given no details of so-called restructuring plans. It also features the news from Darlington

In today's Press, meanwhile, there is a 150-word filler setting out how "difficult trading conditions" have forced the company to cut jobs. Managing director Steve Hughes says the company must "expand and contract with the market", which is utter nonsense: staff in York suffered cutsbacks and redundancies throughout the good economic times, during which Newsquest scarcely invested a penny. No response from NUJ reps was permitted.

Archbishop's prayers for pickets

Divine assistance may soon grace the NUJ's campaign for fair pay at The Press and the Gazette & Herald. The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, responded to a letter from the chapel making him aware of the planned strike action by offering prayers for chapel members.

He wrote: "I was saddened to read of the strike action at the York Press and the difficulties you have experienced in trying to reach agreement thus far. Please keep me informed of developments and be assured of my prayers for your members during this difficult time."