War is brewing in the North West between the NUJ and media owners, as the union promises protests and industrial action in face of cuts.
Media owners that the NUJ believes are guilty of “grand larceny and reckless cost-cutting” are being promised that they won’t be able to impose the large-scale job cuts they’ve announced without a fight.
Newsquest Bolton and Bury and Trinity Mirror Liverpool in particular have been told to brace themselves for “a wave of protests and industrial action in the coming weeks.”
The NUJ claims that this culling of staff will “damage quality, significantly increase hours and workloads, and threaten the health and welfare of journalists” and is being carried out by groups that are still operating profitably.
Union general secretary Jeremy Dear declared in a statement: “Instead of greater investment in quality online content, more localised coverage and strengthened editorial teams, for years the vast profits of local newspapers have been largely shovelled into shareholders’ pockets, directors’ pay rises and executive pension pots, amidst reckless borrowing and poor investment decisions.
“Now the very people who plunged the industry into this crisis by demanding such excessive profits believe the solution is to axe journalists and freeze pay.
“They were spectacularly wrong in the past and are spectacularly wrong again.”
He continued: “It is a false economy to put the ability to deliver scoops, quality content and strong local coverage in jeopardy.
“Local newspapers in print and online remain viable and profitable businesses. We can’t stand by and see this profiteering destroy our industry.”
The NUJ’s reaction is being co-ordinated across newspaper groups - with Johnston Press, Trinity Mirror and Newsquest leading the way – and will see industrial action against compulsory redundancies, a union wide day of action against job cuts and pay freezes and the creation of community based ‘Stand up for Journalism’.
Political parties and national assemblies will also be lobbied to take action to ‘back the fight to stop job cuts and save local media’.
NUJ figures show that more than 500 journalists posts have been axed or left unfilled at local newspaper groups since June. In addition more than 30 local newspaper offices have been closed responsible for over 50 separate titles.
The most comprehensive ever review and assessment of the top communicators and marketers working in public services in the North West: the Public Sector 100. READ
The North West’s top marketing folk who collectively control marketing expenditure in excess of £500m and whose endeavours help sustain tens of thousands of jobs. READ
The full listing of How-Do's Media 100. The 2009 list in its entirety, offers the definitive compilation of the most influential and powerful media, creative and digital folk based in the North West. READ
The How-Do poll
Latest comments
Cath: These people should not be allowed to take these roles unless they are 100%...
READ
Radio Caroline: But the pettiness is what makes people come to the site. Everyone loves to ...
READ
Lorna Kay: The highly inflammatory article by Paul Revoir on page 11 of to-day's Daily...
READ
Enough: Also Anonymouse - get down off your high-horse. You threw your two penneth ...
READ
Mrs Ackroyd: What a load of numpties GMG are.
You wouldn't want them running anything i...
READ
Brian: Why do marketeers use 'inspired by' when the word 'evokes' is more believab...
READ
Comments (7)
