Trinity Mirror has acted to end a disparity in employment benefits between journalists working on former Local World titles and other employees.
The National Union of Journalists claims staff on ex-LW titles have been treated as “second class citizens” by TM since its £220m takeover of LW in November 2015.
The union says staff were missing out on benefits including sick pay, maternity pay and paternity pay, compared to other Trinity Mirror staff.
However, TM says it has been working on the changes for many months, dismissing union claims that it pressured the company into the move as a “cheap stunt.”
NUJ Trinity Mirror coordinator Chris Morley, pictured above, said: “This is a sensible and equitable solution that will go towards making Local World employees feel full and valued employees of Trinity Mirror as the work of integrating the business within the wider group ploughs on with ever more intensity.
“While it is a good start, the NUJ will be seeking to ensure that all areas of employment experienced by our members in Local World matches the enhanced level of their counterparts in Trinity Mirror sites.”
Acting general secretary Seamus Dooley added: “This is a very welcome development and it’s proof that trade unions make a difference in the workplace.
“I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of NUJ officials and chapel officers who have worked together to achieve this result, which shows the power of persistence.”
A Trinity Mirror spokesman said: “We informed staff of changes to some policies and terms a week ago, after working on these complex changes for many months.
“The NUJ press-releasing it as a victory is yet another cheap stunt which shows their priority is their own PR.”
Let the NUJ claim victory if they want. This is good news all round, it doesn’t need to turn into a fight for no reason.
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Before all sides start claiming victory, it is worth pointing out that the redundancy package hasn’t changed for ex-Local World employees. Staff employed by a Trinity title barely 40 miles away have a much better package (two-and-a-half weeks’ pay for every year served compared to the one week’s pay on offer at my old paper). As the two titles are now working as one, that seems hugely unfair. So while Trinity bangs the drum that they wanted to bring everyone together, it doesn’t seem to stretch as far as redundancy. While it is good news about the maternity and health benefits, the state of the industry shows the one thing we are all at risk of is redundancy. And that’s the one benefit that hasn’t changed. Poor, really.
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Have to agree with Trinity on this one – pretty poor from the NUJ.
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