Regional publisher Johnston Press has announced it is deferring all staff pay reviews for six months and giving employees an extra day’s leave instead.
The company, which is continuing to cut costs in order to reduce its £350m debt, announced the move in an email sent to all staff this morning.
However it is holding out the prospect of a 2pc pay rise next year if it hits its profitability targets this year.
Johnston Press previously announced a pay freeze in 2008 which deferred all pay reviews in the following year for six months and says the current deferment will bring them back into line with their original dates.
The company said in a press statement: “Johnston Press plc today informed all staff in the UK and Isle of Man that, due to continued economic uncertainty, a decision has been made to defer pay increases for a period of six months.
“It was also decided that, in recognition of the hard work and commitment on newspaper re-launches and other initiatives, staff will receive an additional day’s holiday in 2012 and in subsequent years (pro-rata for part-time staff).
“This applies to all employees in the Johnston Press Group and operating companies, including the Republic of Ireland.
“The company also communicated that, provided 2012 profit forecasts are achieved, there will be a pay review in 2013 of 2pc in the UK and Isle of Man, and for staff covered by local collective agreements, bargaining will recommence in the normal way at the appropriate date.”
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With the constant and slow cull of staff and non replacement of leaving staff. I am not surprised that it has been held over. Small departments of 5 people will have to cover an extra week of holidays 25 weeks per year to 26 weeks per year. BUT as one who still has his job, I am not going to moan about it (too much!).
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At least the JP board were able to squeeze in their £700k bonus handouts to themselves before the freeze. Phew!
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Will Ashley Highfield and his cronies be getting a pay rise?
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is that paid leave? Or a way of making even more savings?
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I can live with the idea that the company is in a mess and that sacrifices (jobs, pay increases) have to be made but what really sticks in my throat, and the same is true of many of my colleagues, is that it was only 3 months ago that the top 3 or 4 people in Johnston Press paid themselves bonuses amounting to £700,000. How can we afford that and not my measly 400 odd quid annual pay rise ? Their bonuses would have probably paid for the 2% rise for the rest of us.
We’re not exactly in this together. It is really disheartening for the people on the ground.
And who had the bright idea of giving us extra holiday ? We’re already working every hour God sends and this will just make it worse.
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An olive branch of an extra day off, which costs the company precisely nothing. Except the reporters who have to pick up the pieces. Oh and we read about this on here before even receiving an email /call etc to this effect. Terrible.
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This announcement today has speeded up my plans to hand my notice in and look for work elsewhere. Apart from the 60-hour weeks of unpaid overtime, we’re now being diddled on what little money we are due. It shows how much our hard work is truly valued by management. Stuff this for a game of soldiers, I’ve had enough.
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All JP employees should use up this extra day off on the same day.
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Disappointing.
I could live with it if everyone was in the same boat, but doing this so shortly after big bonuses were paid out to the execs is rather demotivating.
How about making the execs make a gesture of solidarity and hand back their bonuses. Hell, maybe even share it out among the long-suffering staff.
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Presumably all those who get the day off will work that bit extra to clear their in-tray and their collegues will put in a little bit extra on the day, so that probably works out as a full day’s unpaid overtime to cover the loss.
About time journos started enforcing their contracts and either walking out after their completing their weekly hours (probably on a Thursday morning) or submitting overtime requests at the end of every month.
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A good day to sort out CVs
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Another JP pay freeze, announced on Friday 13th, after management get bonuses of £700k? Drop The Dead Donkey couldn’t make that up.
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According to the statement “Johnston Press plc today informed all staff in the UK and Isle of Man…”
Well it’s now 16th July and as of yet I have not been informed, and only heard about this via Hold The Front Page.
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As Bernard said, 16th and not been informed. It’s probably how they are paying for all the ipads and phones for the sales staff.
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Key bit here is “…provided 2012 profit forecasts are achieved, there will be a pay review in 2013 of 2pc.”
In other words, there’ll be no pay review.
Can’t see them hitting forecasts.
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On a much smaller scale, the bosses are joing those of G4S and Barclays in apparently having no idea at all what their staff do for a living.
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I too am waiting for my email, nobody in our department has been informed – this is probably not a good sign.
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Middle of the week now, still no official word on the above announcement.
Farce.
Can I have my redundancy now please? I’m getting a little impatient.
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I received the letter at my home address this morning. Very informative. However, as I left in JP in 2010 as part of the first Atex cull I can’t see its relevance to my present situation.
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Alreadygone, I’d contact JP HR and demand your outstanding wages for the past 2 years.
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