Newsquest union reps keen to get a picture of how stress is affecting staff have launched a company-wide survey.

All journalists at the newspaper publisher’s UK centres have been asked to fill out the questionnaire based on one used by the Health and Safety Executive.

The survey forms part of the National Union of Journalist’s wider ‘Stressed Out’ campaign – launched in September – and could yet go out across other newspaper publishing groups.

The survey focuses on topics such as management support, deadlines, intensity of work and pressure.

Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the NUJ, said: “Our reps in Newsquest decided they wanted to get a real idea of how the cuts they’ve witnessed over the last few years are impacting on journalists’ health and safety.

“The survey is based on indicators developed by the UK Health and Safety Executive so we should be able to benchmark the results against nationally recognised standards.

“This is part of our Stressed Out campaign which is all about making employers take responsibility for their workers’ wellbeing.

“Stress is a serious side effect of overwork and it simply isn’t acceptable for companies to put their staff at risk.

“Most employers will respond to physical hazards because they can see the risk to staff. The problem is making them take the same approach to stress.

“Whilst it might not always be as apparent as bare electrical wiring or slippery floors, stress is one of the biggest health risks faced by our members.

“It is a major cause of sickness in the media industry with thousands of working days lost each year.”

Newsquest publishes around 320 daily and weekly newspapers across the UK. In recent months it has announced redundancy plans at titles in Glasgow, Bolton and York.

Although no definite plans are in place now, a NUJ spokesman said several other reps and chapels from other companies had approached the union about running something similar for their staff.

“In particular, Johnston Press reps have discussed using it as part of their campaign against low staffing levels,” he added.

Any Newsquest journalist who has not received their survey is asked to contact their NUJ rep.

No-one from Newsquest was available for comment.