Journalists at the Bradford Telegraph & Argus have votedoverwhelmingly in favour of union rights in the first ballot to be heldin anticipation of new workplace laws which come in to effect next week.

Some 86% of journalists at the Newsquest-owned title voted in favour ofrecognition of the National Union of Journalists in a ballot organisedjointly by the company and the union. A similar ballot is being held atthe Oxford Mail.

The ballots come after weeks of discussion between the company and theunion at a national level about how to meet the requirements of thelatest phase of the Employment Relations Act which comes in to force on6 June.

The law allows for unions to have the right to be recognised andnegotiate pay, hours and holidays on behalf of journalists where theyhave membership of more than 50%. Already some companies including parts ofJohnston Press and Trinity Mirror have negotiated voluntary agreementswith the unions.

NUJ National organiser Jeremy Dear said: “This is a tremendous vote infavour of the right of individuals to be represented collectively by aunion of their choice. We will now be in a position to begin to addressthe problems of low pay, staff shortages and stress that too manyjournalists have to contend with.

“We are delighted Newsquest have agreed to voluntary recognition in linewith the wishes of their staff and hope other companies will followsuit. If they don’t we will be forced to seek recognition through thestatutory procedures from next week.”

The NUJ will be submitting 20 statutory recognition claims on 6 June.

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