The nationwide pay freeze across Newsquest titles which has been in place since July 2008 has finally been lifted, HTFP can reveal.
Newsquest’s US owners Gannett gave their approval last week for 2pc pay offers to be made to journalists at a number of UK centres, company insiders have confirmed.
The move follows a campaign of industrial action by the National Union of Journalists in protest at the continuing freeze which has threatened to turn into a group-wide stoppage.
Union officials have confirmed the rises have been offered to journalists at Newsquest centres in Bradford, Darlington, York and Glasgow – all of which had either voted for or were being balloted for strikes.
Lawrence Shaw, NUJ Northern and Midlands assistant organiser, said none had accepted the 2pc rise so far but chapels were considering the offer.
He said the move would not necessarily halt to the NUJ’s campaign against Newsquest – with co-ordinated strike on 6-7 January still a possibility – unless it is clear the freeze has been lifted throughout the company.
Mr Shaw said: “The point is that the pay freeze has been broken now. It is all local level stuff but the campaign is not going to stop because of that, because there has to be a lifting of it across the board.
“There’s still a plan to take action in the New Year for a number of them that are looking to put in notification. I believe the threat of industrial action has led to the pay freeze being lifted.
“The 2pc rise over three years of massive inflation is really a drop in the ocean. But I know a lot of chapels are considering it very carefully. There’s nothing to say they can’t accept if that is what they want to do.
“Until all centres have had an offer, I think people have been reluctant to accept.”
Newsquest chief executive Paul Davidson was not available for comment at the time of publication.
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2% from when though? Backdated the whole two and half years, from April 2010 – or from January 2011? There’s a very big difference . . .
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Backdated? You’ve got to be kidding… and there are plenty of places where management haven’t offered anything yet.
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The NUJ for once has management running scared. At last they can negotiate from a position of strength. Hold out for 10 per cent guys!
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Inflation is likely to exceed 5% early next year, what with the VAT rise, the soaring cost of fuel, and the effect of the cold weather on food prices. I cannot see anyone accepting a 2% increase after a three year freeze as a fair settlement. Particularly when Paul Davidson was awarded a 20% rise when the vast majority of his employees had nothing.
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Mr. Davidson is still tight lipped, and presumably ashen faced. What can possibly have changed his mind about the pay freeze, though……..?
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The pay freeze decision was taken in the US, which renders the £600,000-a-year Davidson pretty much a spare part. In comparison to his 21.5 per cent pay rise, huge pension increase and the bonuses paid to Newsquest executives (I think the figure was £5m), a two per cent offer is less than chicken feed. It was made because they’ve suddenly realised they’ve pushed the workforce too far – and no other reason. They weren’t expecting a national strike, but it looks like they’ve got one. They can take their two per cent and stuff it along with their Merry Christmas message to staff.
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I can’t see this derisory offer, which won’t even be on the table at a lot of papers until much later in the year, being enough to make anyone who was planning on striking change their minds.
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Lets say the average Newsquest newsroom salary is £20k a year. A 2% rise would mean about an extra £8 a week before tax, NI and pension contributions. It wouldn’t even be worth the paper it’s written on!
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That’s the spirit! Merry Christmas guys
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The two per cent offer is terrible. But as a current Newsquest employee, rather than the stream of dedicated (former) hacks who post on here, I’m inclined to accept. Or we could hold out for a whopping 2.5 or 3 per cent, three months down the line, and lose hard-earned cash. Industrial action is easy when it’s a spectator sport.
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