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Springer Nature pay deal after staff stage two days of strikes
SPRINGER NATURE, publisher of world-leading scientific journals, have agreed a two-year pay deal with the union just days after journalists staged two days of walkouts. In a joint statement both sides said: “The NUJ and Springer
Nature are pleased to have reached an agreement which ends our pay dispute through a two-year settlement and would like to pay tribute to the mutual efforts that helped us find a way forward. “We are committed to re-establishing our good relationship and
look forward to increased and regular communications going forward. The recent events have emphasised the importance of open dialogue, and we are dedicated to ensuring that this continues to be a central aspect of our working relationship.” The journalists had walked out for two days in late June in a
move which won widespread support. They had turned down a 5.8 per cent offer saying that their pay
hadn’t kept pace with the cost of living. NUJ members said they were struggling to pay bills and cope with rapid rises in rent, mortgage and childcare payments. Some said they couldn’t afford to live in London where their offices are based. An open letter signed by almost 500 academics and including
several Nobel prize winners, has been sent to Springer Nature in support of staff demanding an increased pay offer. The strike was also backed by actor and presenter Stephen Fry Professor Ben List, director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal
MARK THOMAS inbrief...
ASSANGE IS BACK IN AUSTRALIA Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder, is back in his native Australia after a plea deal with the US. The deal in June ended 14 years of Assange facing possible extradition to the US, during which time he spent seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and five years in Belmarsh prison. As a condition of his plea, he will be required to destroy infomation provided to Wikileaks Meet the Assange-avists, Page 17
Research and professor of organic chemistry at the University of Cologne, 2021 Nobel Prize winner for chemistry, said: “Science should not be the subject of greed, but rather of openness, freedom, enthusiasm, and fairness.” Professor May-Britt Moser, Norwegian University of Science and
Technology, 2014 Nobel Prize winner, said: “Nature editors do a fantastic job, salaries should reflect that.” The picket lines outside Springer Nature’s offices in King’s Cross,
London were visited by union leaders and journalists from around the world who were in the capital attending the International Federation of Journalists AGM. Other visitors to the picket line included Lord Hendy QC and his dog Bob.
General secretary to leave
Michelle Stanistreet, the NUJ general secretary, is leaving later in the year. An election for her successor will begin in the next few months. In an email to members,
she said that it had been and continues to be a privilege to
work for the NUJ. She said that her decision to leave was based on health reasons and knowing that it was time to hand over to a new general secretary. Michelle, a former journalist at the Daily Express and a
Senedd warned over bill
MEMBERS of the Welsh Senedd have been urged by the union to scrap a clause in the Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill which could push the newspaper industry, already on the brink of collapse, over the edge. Clause 20 of the bill ends the requirement that local authorities advertise changes to council tax in local newspapers and allows them to make an announcement on their council websites, depriving newspapers from a vital source of revenue. A letter from Nick Powell, chair of the NUJ’s Welsh executive
council, says: “This proposed legislative change threatens not only
to diminish the availability of important information to the public but also deprives local newspapers of an important income stream at a time when they are already under severe financial pressure.”
former president of the NUJ, was first elected deputy general secretary in 2008. She was then elected unopposed to the top job in 2011 when the previous general secretary Jeremy Dear left. Subsequently she was
unopposed again twice when the post came up for election at five-year intervals. Job advert, page 26
BUSINESS WEEK BECOMES A MONTHLY Business Week, the 95-year-old US based magazine, has moved from weekly to monthly publication. Its editor Brad Stone told Press Gazette that it had a future in print because readers want the distraction-free luxury of print. The title claims a circulation of 220,000 in print.
BRUTON TO JOIN GOOD HOUSEKEEPING Jane Bruton, the former deputy editor of The Daily Telegraph, is to become the editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping UK later this year. Bruton was previously editor-in- chief of Grazia for 10 years before leaving for The Telegraph in 2015..
Computer Weekly’s
special Orwell award Computer Weekly was awarded a special prize at this year’s Orwell awards for their work in breaking the
story of the Post Office Horizon scandal and keeping up investigative work
and coverage of the story over many years. Rebecca Thomson, who broke the original story, and Karl Flinders, who carried it on, accepted the award
on the magazine’s behalf. The Crick Prize for best essay was awarded to Robert Saunders of Policital Quarterly.
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