Comments on: Weekly hits newsstands a day late after computer failure http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/ The home of UK regional journalism news and jobs Fri, 24 May 2013 15:38:12 +0000 hourly 1 By: House Rules http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23629 House Rules Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:37:58 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23629 The place I used to work the reporters were contracted from 9am to 5.30pm but on deadline day the subs worked from 10am until 8pm. Reporters therefore had to stay until 8pm in case the subs needed them (being on the phone was not enough you had to be in the office). Because of this late start the subs started two and half hours late the following day whereas the reporters got no time back despite doing 2.5 hours above their contracted hours every week. Despite union efforts to sync reporting hours with subbing hours it was rejected by the company who trotted out the (true) line "journalism is not a 9 to 5 job". The union members pointed out that the reporters hours were set before the deadline time was changed from mid-afternoon to mid-evening. I have now left but the situation remains the same more than 2 years on. Expected over time every week due to a management change in the deadline. Journalism is not a 9 to 5 job but too many liberties are still being taken with the goodwill of staff to do their job properly. The place I used to work the reporters were contracted from 9am to 5.30pm but on deadline day the subs worked from 10am until 8pm.

Reporters therefore had to stay until 8pm in case the subs needed them (being on the phone was not enough you had to be in the office).

Because of this late start the subs started two and half hours late the following day whereas the reporters got no time back despite doing 2.5 hours above their contracted hours every week.

Despite union efforts to sync reporting hours with subbing hours it was rejected by the company who trotted out the (true) line “journalism is not a 9 to 5 job”.

The union members pointed out that the reporters hours were set before the deadline time was changed from mid-afternoon to mid-evening.

I have now left but the situation remains the same more than 2 years on. Expected over time every week due to a management change in the deadline.

Journalism is not a 9 to 5 job but too many liberties are still being taken with the goodwill of staff to do their job properly.

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]]> By: Scott http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23620 Scott Fri, 27 Jul 2012 08:03:50 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23620 Woody Woodpecker - of course staff are exploited. Absolute nonsense to say otherwise. Just check your wage packed, equate hours worked to said pay packet and see what your hourly rate is. I bet you're not much better than minimum wage. And if that isn't exploitation I don't know what is. As someone said on another story, back in the 90s you'd start on 8-10k and you could claim breakfast, lunch and tea expenses. And if you did a council meeting, you'd find a way to get the time back. If something big happened, you'd graft. If it didn't and you wanted time back, you'd get it. No one used to moan then - it was the sort of job all your mates were envious of. No envy any more Woody Woodpecker – of course staff are exploited. Absolute nonsense to say otherwise. Just check your wage packed, equate hours worked to said pay packet and see what your hourly rate is. I bet you’re not much better than minimum wage. And if that isn’t exploitation I don’t know what is. As someone said on another story, back in the 90s you’d start on 8-10k and you could claim breakfast, lunch and tea expenses. And if you did a council meeting, you’d find a way to get the time back. If something big happened, you’d graft. If it didn’t and you wanted time back, you’d get it. No one used to moan then – it was the sort of job all your mates were envious of. No envy any more

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]]> By: the red postman http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23617 the red postman Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:30:27 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23617 One editor I worked under in the early-90s was notorious for arriving in the office at 3pm on press day, having been oddly unavailable all morning, then staying until 10-10.30pm and expecting all the reporters to do the same - even though we'd been there since 9am. It happened every week and none of us young reporters had the guts to ask to leave on time. It might have been things like that which turned me into a union activist when I joined a daily paper! One editor I worked under in the early-90s was notorious for arriving in the office at 3pm on press day, having been oddly unavailable all morning, then staying until 10-10.30pm and expecting all the reporters to do the same – even though we’d been there since 9am.
It happened every week and none of us young reporters had the guts to ask to leave on time. It might have been things like that which turned me into a union activist when I joined a daily paper!

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]]> By: Woody Woodpecker http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23616 Woody Woodpecker Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:04:59 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23616 This was an external fault with Virgin media not internal as the headline reads, I'm sure all staff that worked late where thanked for their efforts even though it was totally out of the control of management. Everyone employed is told that in the line of their responsibilties they may have to work late and that they would get this time back in either lieu time or over-time payment. Staff are not 'exploited ' in anyway, they can always say no, it is pride that they stayed on to help out in what must have been a difficult and stressful day. This was an external fault with Virgin media not internal as the headline reads, I’m sure all staff that worked late where thanked for their efforts even though it was totally out of the control of management.
Everyone employed is told that in the line of their responsibilties they may have to work late and that they would get this time back in either lieu time or over-time payment.
Staff are not ‘exploited ‘ in anyway, they can always say no, it is pride that they stayed on to help out in what must have been a difficult and stressful day.

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]]> By: Jokingly Promised http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23612 Jokingly Promised Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:44:00 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23612 I agree with Watching from Afar. I remember being told by one chief sub that I shouldn't ever plan to do anything on a night when I was working a late shift (which should finish at 6.30pm) after saying I definitely needed to be out by 8pm to let the babysitter go! I agree with Watching from Afar. I remember being told by one chief sub that I shouldn’t ever plan to do anything on a night when I was working a late shift (which should finish at 6.30pm) after saying I definitely needed to be out by 8pm to let the babysitter go!

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]]> By: Spanner http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23610 Spanner Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:18:02 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23610 Watching from afar Grow up ! Watching from afar

Grow up !

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]]> By: Watching from afar http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23609 Watching from afar Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:40:32 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23609 Guess it would have just been expected - no questions asked - that staff put in the extra hours to sort things. Probably with no thanks from management, and no time back in lieu? I remember similar scenarios, numerous times on papers I worked on, where afterwards, you'd tell friends about it and they'd say: "But think of the overtime you'll get." The rest of the world has little idea of the way newspaper staff are exploited under the 'flexible at work' approach, which originated from the idea that late stories can break and need to make it into print. Sadly, Managers now expect this free labour from staff regardless of the reason! Guess it would have just been expected – no questions asked – that staff put in the extra hours to sort things. Probably with no thanks from management, and no time back in lieu?
I remember similar scenarios, numerous times on papers I worked on, where afterwards, you’d tell friends about it and they’d say: “But think of the overtime you’ll get.” The rest of the world has little idea of the way newspaper staff are exploited under the ‘flexible at work’ approach, which originated from the idea that late stories can break and need to make it into print. Sadly, Managers now expect this free labour from staff regardless of the reason!

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]]> By: Observer http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/weekly-hits-newsstands-a-day-late-after-computer-failure/#comment-23604 Observer Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:27:51 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1631536#comment-23604 So, a nice little bonus in staff pay-packets for working long hours to get the newspaper out? No, thought not. So, a nice little bonus in staff pay-packets for working long hours to get the newspaper out?

No, thought not.

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