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Yorkshire strikes scored "some success" says NUJ

Journalists who took part in strike action at Johnston Press titles in Leeds have handed out thank you letters to the people of West Yorkshire.

National Union of Journalists members from the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post and Leeds Weekly News walked into Leeds city centre yesterday afternoon to show their appreciation for support received during thirteen days of strike action over compulsory redundancies.

Yesterday was the last day on which the strike action was valid under UK law and no further strikes are currently planned.

The help received by the union included £50 from a retired miner who remembered the NUJ helping them when they were on strike over pit closures, and more than a £1,000 collected at a national newspaper NUJ chapel.

As well as thanking the public for their support, the leaflets handed out by the NUJ members also claimed that the strikes had scored “some successes.”

It read: “Sadly, some of our colleagues have been made redundant and more remain at risk. Those that remain at the papers are struggling with ever-increasing workloads, stress levels and uncertainty about the future.

“Despite this, the National Union of Journalists has scored several successes from the strike. Two colleagues, both at risk of redundancy, have been found jobs elsewhere, progress is being made on a job-share, which will keep another colleague in the building, and the company’s redundancy timetable has been completely derailed.”

Johnston Press said it had no comment to make on the union’s claims.