Plans for five compulsory job cuts at Shropshire Newspapers have been shelved following protests, the National Union of Journalists has claimed.

In a statement today, the NUJ said journalists were told the jobs had been saved just 24 hours after giving management notice of industrial action.

Parent company Midland News Association announced plans to cut ten percent of their staff last October.

Last week the company said five job cuts were still needed – and started drawing up the criteria to select staff for redundancy.

Earlier this week the NUJ gave notice of a mandatory union meeting for journalists to be held on Wednesday 11 March.

But the company has since responded by saying it is no longer seeking the compulsory redundancies and will find savings elsewhere.

Chris Morley, NUJ Northern Regional Organiser, said: “This is a fantastic result especially as the chapel is not recognised.

“It shows that campaigning by union members can make a difference whatever the circumstances. People were joining the union to support the fight against job cuts.

“We were particularly concerned that trainees were being targeted for redundancies even though the company had a contractual obligation to train them. These points were made very strongly.”

No-one at Shropshire Newspapers has so far responded to requests for comment.

Comments

Pol O Ceallaigh (09/03/2009 17:06:52)
Hurrah for the NUJ. Just goes to show what we can achieve when we stick together, folks.

stewart perkins (10/03/2009 11:47:14)
Congratulations to my NUJ colleagues at Shropshire Newspapers for defending their jobs. It shows that a firm and considered response is always preferable to rolling over because the union is not officially recognised.