York and Warrington back Newsquest strike call

NUJ members at Newsquest's centre in York today joined their colleagues in Blackburn, Bradford, and Bolton by voting for strike action over the company pay freeze.

According to the NUJ, the vote in York was overwhelmingly for strike action and action short of a strike. Newsquest York publishes The Press and the Gazette & Herald.

Newsquest Warrington NUJ members voted last night to ballot for action on the ongoing pay freeze. Newsquest Warrington includes the Warrington Guardian, St Helens Star, Sale and Altrincham Messenger, Stretford and Urmston Messenger, Runcorn and Widnes World, Northwich Guardian, Knutsford Guardian, Winsford and Middlewich Guardian, Crewe Guardian.

According to the NUJ, over 90% of NUJ members at Newsquest Bradford have voted in favour of strike action and all voters supported action short of a strike. Newsquest Bradford includes the Bradford Telegraph & Argus, Ilkley Gazette, Wharfedale & Airedale Observer, Craven Herald and the Keighley News.

All NUJ members who took part in the ballot at Newsquest Blackburn have voted overwhelmingly for strike action and action short of a strike, the union said. NUJ members at Newsquest Bolton have also voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.

Newsquest Bolton and Newsquest Blackburn includes the Bolton News and the Bury Times Group weekly series (the Bury Times, Radcliffe Times and The Guide covering Prestwich & Whitefield) and the Lancashire Telegraph, Burnley Citizen, Blackburn Citizen, Chorley Citizen, Bury Journal, Bolton Journal and Westmorland Gazette.

In Scotland - NUJ members at Newsquest's The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times have voted unanimously to ballot for industrial action to fight compulsory redundancies.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ deputy general secretary said: "Newsquest and their American owners have been relentless in their pursuit of higher profits at the expense of quality journalism and their staff have simply had enough. The growing anger amongst journalists throughout the group and their determination to bring the company to the negotiating table is clear."

• The NUJ parliamentary group this week launched an Early Day Motion in support of NUJ members at Newsquest, calling on the company to enter into meaningful discussions with the union at all levels to resolve the disputes by protecting jobs and investing in journalism. The motion "notes the company is generating huge profits and the latest accounts for parent company Gannett UK show that the highest paid director enjoyed a massive £108,000 hike in his overall pay to £609,235 last year which exposes the corporate greed doing so much damage to their papers and websites."
• NUJ members at Newsquest in Brighton and Southampton held 48 hour strike action this week.