Informed NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE issue 40 July 2022


Pay offers prompt industrial action


Journalists working for Reach, the UK’s largest regional newspaper group and owner of the Mirror, are being balloted to decide whether to take industrial action, including strike action, aſter rejecting the employer’s pay offer of 3 per cent. Te union’s national executive also


approved a ballot for industrial action to go ahead at National World in Scotland where 18 staff are at risk of redundancy on Te Scotsman and the Scotish weeklies.


Ten, this week, Reach staff received an email calling for voluntary redundancies owing to “challenging” market conditions, plus a freeze on recruitment. Te union said it was “disappointing” and called for consultation. Te jobs will go in September. Te union agreed to further talks with Reach in a meeting with ACAS, the arbitration service, but the publisher failed to come up with a package acceptable to NUJ members. Te Reach journalists, who work on


regional titles such as the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo and BristolLive, have been urged to vote for strike action and action short of a strike by the union over the pay offer. Chris Morley, NUJ Reach national


co-ordinator, said the union was happy to continue talks as longs as “realistic proposals are forthcoming to boost the income of Reach journalists in the face of the worst cost of living crisis in 40 years”. With inflation soaring, this year’s


pay round has proved a hot issue with many employers’ offers being contested.


Also in this issue:


BBC Batle Page 05


Farewell Nadine Page 06


Tousands of people marched the streets in London, Belfast and Dublin to protest against the rising cost of living and the government’s lack of response. Journalists could be joining workers from train and bus and airline staff to barristers, postal workers and staff at BT in strike action over pay. Te NUJ is also fighting redundancies across a number of titles. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general


secretary, said: “Pay is an urgent priority for the union. Our chapel officers, industrial officials, communications team, legal office and administrative team are working extremely hard to co-ordinate this resolute response


to the demands of our members.” At the end of May, Reach cut nine story-


editor roles across the regions, citing the spiralling cost of newsprint. Tese were all found through voluntary redundancy, but the union lost some of its most loyal members. Te Irish office saved a member’s job on the Reach website Buzz.ie. Te union also intervened to prevent compulsory redundancy for members working for National World in Portsmouth. However, those remaining are leſt with huge workloads and high levels of stress.


BBC members accepted a 4 per cent


pay rise but have plenty of batles ahead with 1,000 job losses forecast following the freezing of the TV licence fee for two years (see page five). At Immediate Media, a deal was reached giving a 7 per cent rise for those on up to and including £50,270, 5 per cent for up to and including £120,000, and 4 per cent for those earning more. Te freelance day rate was increased from £120 to £140. Pay talks are taking place at the Irish Times, Mediahuis Ireland, and a range of regional titles, North and South. Te national executive was told many


freelance writers, videographers and photographers had not recovered their pre-pandemic income and were leaving journalism. NEC member, Mike Pindar, said: “Photographers have high overheads in order to work. Te cost of kit, computers and soſtware, as well as insurance and travel, are going up in price.” Te NUJ has published a template leter for freelances to use when writing to engagers, calling for improved pay rates: www.nuj.org.uk/resource/ freelance-template-leter-to-engager- on-pay-rates-.html Tony Sheldon, NEC rep for Continental


Europe, said Dutch journalists had agreed a minimum hourly freelances rate at media group DPG.


Magazine Make-Over Page 10


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