news
Union ballots for strike action at Reach after pay deadlock
THE NUJ is encouraging members in Reach, Britain’s biggest news publisher, to vote for industrial action in a dispute over pay. The decision to ballot at the owner of the Daily Mirror, Daily Express and a host of major regional titles and associated websites such as the Manchester Evening News and Birmingham Live, follows deadlock in annual pay talks. Both sides also had talks at the conciliation service Acas but they were unproductive. Reach’s final offer of three
per cent or £750 minimum was overwhelmingly rejected by the NUJ chapels in June. The escalating cost of living crisis, fuelled by rising inflation on top of historic low pay, led members to conclude
“Balloting for industrial action of all members at Reach is an unfortunate landmark which we hoped we would never have to deploy. A sensible, negotiated settlement would be best not only for our members, but the business too. “However, journalists’ pay
PA IMAGES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
that the company’s offer failed acknowledge the contribution they provided to the success of the company. Last year, the company made an across-the-board award of just one per cent or £350 minimum. Reach journalists will be encouraged by the union to
vote yes to both strike action and to action short of strikes. There are currently around 1,000 union members in Reach but the number is increasing with scores joining since chapels took the decision to ballot. Chris Morley, NUJ Reach national coordinator, said:
Fears over BBC merger plans
THE BBC is to merge its World News and News Channel into one rolling news service with the loss of about 70 jobs in London. The new channel is expected to start nexts April and will broadcast around the world. UK viewers will have some specific UK
content at certain times of the day. The NUJ fears that the merger will
result in reduced coverage of UK elections, party conferences, local events, and special briefings. Past consideration of closing the BBC News channel was abandoned
THE REALITIES of life – and death – in the occupied Palestinian territories burst into the heart of the British journalism establishment in a beautiful and moving memorial on 28 June for Shireen Abu Akleh. The service at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street - the ‘journalists’ church’ – celebrated the life and work of Shireen, who became known as Palestinians’ ‘voice to the world’ in 24 years of reporting for Al Jazeera.
Remembering Shireen Shireen was shot in Jenin
on 11 May. Friends and colleagues paid tribute, in English and Arabic, and the gathering of distinguished journalists and media figures heard music including singer Reem Kelani. The service was initiated by former NUJ London Freelance Branch chair Pennie Quinton and supported by Artists for Palestine, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK and by the branch.
at Reach is inadequate for the amazing and crucial work they do – especially in midst of runaway inflation that threatens to pauperise many of those on the lowest pay. The company’s final offer is an insult to our members’ ingenuity and creativity – never mind their hard work with stressful variable shifts, weekend working and dealing with a sometimes, hostile and abusive public.”
following the assessment of its benefit to audiences. Paul Siegert, NUJ national
broadcasting organiser, said: “Recent fluid events in parliament illustrate why there is a need for a dedicated rolling UK news and why plans for a new channel covering both UK and world news simply won’t work.”
inbrief...
PARTIES URGED TO AXE MEDIA CHARGES The NUJ in an alliance of media and free speech groups is calling for charges for journalists attending Conservative and Labour party conferences to be dropped. The group said £125 imposed by the Conservatives would hit freelances, smaller outlets and local media. Labour had imposed £5 but now says that it is a voluntary carbon offset charge.
SUSAN MCKAY IS NEW PRESS OMBUDSMAN Susan McKay, an experienced journalist and author, and a former director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, has been appointed the new Press Ombudsman of Ireland. She takes over from Peter Feeney, who is retiring after eight years in the job, in October.
ARRON BANKS LOSES HIS LIBEL CASE Brexit campaigner Arron Banks lost his libel case against investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr. Mr Banks, founder
Leave.EU, sued Ms Cadwalladr for defamation over two instances in 2019 - one in a TED Talk video and another in a tweet. Mr Banks claimed he was defamed after comments Ms Cadwalladr made about his relationship with the Russian state.
Recognition deal win at Verso
The radical publishing house Verso
and the NUJ have agreed union recognition after extensive talks. The union can now
negotiate on staff pay and terms and conditions. The NUJ Verso chapel said: “We’re really excited to be recognised and start negotiations. The
publishing sector is having a moment of self- examination and we’re excited to join our colleagues who have already begun
organising across the industry, including those in Verso’s US office. For over 50 years Verso Books has been a leading publisher of emancipatory politics.”
theJournalist | 03
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