NUJ says jobs at risk at Johnston Sheffield hub

Journalists at the Sheffield Star are to vote on industrial action over what the NUJ says is management plans to cut half the jobs at its editorial ‘hub’ in the city.

The union says more than fifty NUJ members are affected, and the ballot will begin on January 19. The NUJ claims the company is threatening to cut up to ten Sheffield jobs, half those at the hub, while creating five roles elsewhere.

The union said: "NUJ journalists at Johnston Press resisted the creation of the Sheffield hub just nine months ago, warning that it would affect their work and the quality of journalism. But they sought to make the new system work."

NUJ northern and midlands organiser Chris Morley said: “Many members put up with all the hardships that the company imposed on their lives in order to try to stay with the work. But all that effort has been thrown back in their faces by a company that is thrashing around adopting buzzwords and trendy business strategies with little thought to shoring up its newspapers core during difficult times.

“As usual, the timing the company is proposing for these changes to take place is all about railroading their untested plans through while staff are still groggy from the initial hit. But journalists at Sheffield is not prepared to let this happen and our NUJ chapel has taken the decision to ballot for action to defend members put at risk by a company greedy to keep up unsustainable profit levels.”