11 Judge lifts reporting restrictions by Anton McCabe


A Nor thern judge has overturned reporting restrictions which a fellow- judge imposed on a criminal prosecution. Judge Bernie Kelly told


Omagh Magistrates Court the restrictions were illegal.


“ D e m o c r a c y d i e s i n darkness,” she said. “We are


required to have trials in public.” Judge Browne had imposed


the restrictions in Dungannon Magistrates Court in the case of Dylan Quaile. Quaile is charged with a


series of burglary, drugs and motoring offences, and is on remand in prison. A defence solicitor had claimed Quaile has “self-reported armed gangs are touring the area of his


home, actively seeking him out.” The connecting police officer


said that he was aware of “a threat of some nature” but could not comment further.


The press had previously


reported a number of Quaile's convictions.


After considering a written


objection from freelance Tanya Fowles, Judge Kelly removed the restrictions.


Pay increase boost for Cork online journalists


Online journalists at the Irish Examiner and BreakingNews.ie have won a pay increase and the right to be collectively represented in the same bargaining unit


as their colleagues. The NUJ onl ine chapel , represent ing


approximately a dozen journalists, had been fighting for these concessions for over a year. They were supported in their efforts by the Irish Examiner and Evening Echo chapel reps, who made the pay claim for the online journalists a priority issue. After a series of talks, a Workplace Relations


Commission Conciliation hearing, and a Labour Court recommendation; the union and management reconvened talks and agreed terms. The members, most of whom were being paid


€23,400, were seeking parity with the lowest rung of staff in the Echo, where the pay grade stands at €28,000. The agreement reached was that the NUJ’s online members would be paid €25,000 from July 1, 2017; €26,000 from January 1, 2018; €27,000 from July 1, 2018; and €28,000 from January 1, 2019. The agreement, which was reached recently, involves back payments from July. The company also agreed to include the online


journalists in the main bargaining unit for collective negotiations. Up until then, management collectively negotiated with NUJ members in the


Irish Examiner and Evening Echo paper editions in one bargaining unit, while collectively negotiating with the NUJ online staff in a separate bargaining unit. Going forward the NUJ will now be collectively negotiating for all staff in one unit. In return for these concessions, members


agreed that they have a seven day liability over 24 hours and that unsocial roster hours were covered by the pay agreement. It was also agreed that any historical entitlements elsewhere in the company could be red circled for the purpose of future collective negotiating. The online members voted to accept the


proposal. NUJ Irish Organiser, Ian McGuinness, paid


tribute to the reps who worked on this matter: “Noel Baker, Sean O’Riordain, Stephen Barry and Greg Murphy were pivotal in keeping up the momentum and getting this over the line. Other reps also helped along the way and everybody’s contribution is greatly appreciated. It is proof that where unions are organised, with strong reps, they can deliver for their members.”


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