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Union calls for strike vote over redundancy threat

Union members at a Northern Ireland weekly have called for an industrial action ballot over fears of compulsory redundancies.

The National Union of Journalists chapel at the Derry Journal says that parent company Johnston Press is trying to push through compulsory job losses after announcing plans to centralise production of all NI titles.

The NUJ says the company has already accepted 15 voluntary redundancies since the shake-up was announced before Christmas but seven editorial posts remain under threat.

A statement from the NUJ chapel said: “The chapel has already indicated to management that any attempt to force through compulsory redundancies will be resisted.

“Management threats to impose compulsory redundancies follow a pre-Christmas announcement…..that it intends to centralise the production function of all titles across the Northern Ireland division into a production centre in Portadown.

“When the company announced the plans on 11 December last year, it stated that 31.5 roles across the division associated with production were potentially affected by the change with an overall net reduction of 8.5 roles.

The Journal chapel strongly believe, and management have not disputed, that more job losses are likely to follow at the Derry Journal.”

The statement added that the paper had lost over 50 jobs across several departments since JP took ownership in 2006 and the chapel was asking for support from other trade unions, readers, advertisers and politicians.

Johnston Press had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Comments

Lister (28/01/2009 14:24:34)
Go for it. You’re not alone. We’re all in this together.

Shareholder (28/01/2009 23:20:39)
Go on go on strike most of you’s are selfish greedy people you don’t give a dam about any1 else especially my dividend, as you all must be aware we shareholders come first so get stuffed and by the way I’ve got loads of money.

James Blackman (29/01/2009 10:17:52)
Is that last post a wind-up?

Martin Wellbourne (29/01/2009 13:35:13)
It must be a joke. Anyone who thinks JP shareholders will get a dividend in the foreseeable future has to be having a laugh!