Dear claims employers using Xmas break to push through cuts to beat industrial action

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear claims employers are forcing through job and pay cuts and office closures during the Christmas break to beat any industrial action.
Writing on his blog Dear says: "It's hardly the time to be full of the joys of the season given employers are using the Christmas break to make redundancies, cut pay, close offices and reorganise in the hope that people won't want to take any action over the holiday period. These employers are all heart. I wonder how some of them sleep at night."
Dear said the union has been "forewarned" of more job cuts today.
Update: HoldtheFront Page reports today that eight jobs are at risk at Johnston Press' southern division and MediaGuardian that up to 10 jobs could be axed on the Metro free newspaper.