National Union of Journalist members at the Coventry Telegraph are to ballot for strike action in protest at what they say are inadequate editorial staffing levels.

NUJ members at the Telegraph and sister papers the Coventry Times and Hinckley Times say the number of staff has dropped steadily over the last two years through non-replacement of leavers, and when vacancies are filled there are long delays.

At a chapel meeting they voted unanimously to hold a ballot, and say this follows unsuccessful efforts to resolve the situation through internal dispute procedures.

A deal brokered by Acas was also rejected by the chapel.

Forty union members will receive ballot papers next week.

The union is calling for says the number of reporters in Coventry to be increased from the current eight to at least 12, and and for an additional reporter for the districts, bringing the total to four.

It has also raised concerns about staffing levels on the weeklies, and among the Telegraph’s photographic and sub-editing teams and the sports desk.

Chapel MoC Lucy Lynch, in a letter to managing director John Bills, said: “This is a culmination of years of frustration over non-replacement of staff. In that time we’ve had a series of staff leave and either not been replaced or only been replaced after long delays.

“The result is increased pressure on remaining staff and serious threats to the quality of the product.”

The newspapers are part of Trinity Mirror’s portfolio in the Midlands, which is currently up for sale. They are believed to be the subject of a management buy-out.

Trinity Mirror has yet to comment on the NUJ’s plan for a ballot. Do you have a story about the regional press?
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