news


FT staff lift strike threat and accept pension offer


N


UJ members at the Financial Times voted to accept new pension terms after a long-running fight against changes that had been planned by the newspaper’s new owner Nikkei.


The deal came just before journalists were due to stage the first all-day strike at the paper for more than 30 years. Staff had condemned Nikkei and FT management for failing to honour promises to maintain equivalent terms of employment following the takeover by Nikkei from Pearson and for planning to take money from the pensions pot to pay the rent on the title’s building by the Thames.


Following a consultative ballot, 88 per cent of members agreed to accept the new offer, under which FT managers promised to limit expected losses for defined benefit pension


scheme members to 15 per cent of predicted DB terms and grant improved terms for the company’s defined contribution scheme members.


The FT chapel said: “Over the past seven months, the FT chapel has shown that it is prepared to fight to defend terms, conditions and benefits for journalists against all management cuts and will continue to do so in future.” Steve Bird (pictured), FoC at the FT, said: “Messages of support and solidarity from across the FT showed how determined and effective the proposed strike would have been. Without this stand, chapel reps would not have got this final deal.


“I am proud of the unity between DB and DC scheme members in defence of our rights and conditions. As a chapel, we stood up to corporate bullying and would do so again in the face of


any attacks in future.” Laura Davison, NUJ national organiser, said: “The chapel should be congratulated on all its hard work and in sticking together to win this improved deal for all NUJ members.


“It was vital that members remained strong when their pensions were under attack following the sale of the newspaper. The reps should be proud of the new deal they have brokered for their colleagues.”


“ ” FOI ESCAPES THREATENED LEGAL CHANGES


he union has welcomed the government’s decision not to make any legal changes to the Freedom of Information Act. The NUJ has been part of a broad campaign, which included other unions, to oppose potential legal


T


restrictions to the act, which is used by many journalists to hold organisations to account.


The legislation had been seen as under threat after the government set up an Independent


Commission on Freedom of


Information last summer. The commission, which was chaired by Lord Burns, the former permanent secretary to the Treasury, received more than 30,000 responses to its call for evidence.


However, the commission


recommended that no legal changes should be made. It also endorsed calls for the FOI legislation to cover public service providers, although its recommendation includes limiting FOI on the basis of costs.


Journalism on the big screen


ollowing the success of the film Spotlight, the NUJ’s Manchester and Salford branch has set up a film club showing movies and documentaries that illustrate what it is to be a journalist – and why the job matters. The branch has joined with Three Minute Theatre to present a range of films – dramas, comedies, documentaries and even a musical.


F


Branch vice-chair Rachel Broady said: “Journalists and journalism are under scrutiny more than before. Thanks to films like Spotlight, we’re reminded of the importance of the work journalists do and the challenges they face.” Everyone is welcome on the last Thursday of the month at the Three Minute Theatre at 7.30pm. Contact mcrsalfordnuj@gmail.com


Messages of support and solidarity from across the FT showed how determined and effective the proposed strike would have been


in brief...


WHAT THE PAPERS SAY IS SILENCED What The Papers Say has ended, 60 years after it was first broadcast. The weekly radio analysis of press coverage of major stories was ended because of cost cuts, said Radio 4. The programme has been on BBC radio since 2010 after being dropped from TV a couple of years earlier. It had run as a TV series for 52 years on various channels before this was ended by BBC2 in 2008.


MCILVANNEY LEAVES THE SPORTS FIELD Sunday Times sportswriter Hugh McIlvanney has retired after 66 years in journalism. Former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali said: “His words were a window to the lives, the courage, the struggles and triumphs of the great champions of his time.” McIlvanney began his career on the Kilmarnock Standard. He was on the Scotsman when he moved from news to sport in 1960.


MASON QUITS FOR FREELANCE CAREER Channel 4 News economics editor Paul Mason has left his job to pursue a freelance career. He said he wanted to escape the constraints of impartiality rules governing broadcasters. Mason said he wanted to branch out into covering areas such as geo-politics and national security.


SALMON GOES FROM BBC TO ENDEMOL Peter Salmon, the director of BBC Studios, is joining Endemol Shine as global creative chief. Salmon, who was appointed to run the BBC’s TV production arm only last July, will also be responsible for overseeing Endemol Shine’s UK operation, whose programmes include Masterchef.


ITV SEES PROFITS CLIMB 18 PER CENT ITV’s full-year profits before tax rose 18 per cent to £843 million, with revenues climbing 14 per cent to £3.3 billion. The broadcaster was positive about the prospects for the business in the year ahead and has issued a special dividend of 10p per share.


theJournalist | 5


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28