The National Union of Journalists has taken up the case of a sub-editor who was made redundant from the Rotherham Advertiser.

Editor Doug Melloy said Mark Lindsey’s role and responsibilities were no longer needed at the Advertiser.

Mark was previously the entertainments pages sub, responsible for TV pages, highlights and films, copy which has now been contracted out. He also conducted cinema reviews, which have been dropped.

He added that the company had also looked for any alternative employment to match Mark’s expertise but could not identify a role.

He said: “The NUJ and the individual were both consulted far and above what we are statutorily obliged to do.”

The union is claiming the deputy father-of-chapel was unfairly selected for redundancy.

Support has been widespread in the NUJ for Mark, and it has been asking members to fax the editor to voice their feelings. The union’s national executive emergency committee is backing the dispute.

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