Monday 16 May 2011

News Shopper NUJ members in second 'no confidence' vote in Newsquest management


NUJ members at the Newsquest-owned News Shopper newspaper have unanimously voted no confidence in their South London Newsquest management, the union said today.

The move reflects a similar vote this month by Newsquest colleagues in Sutton and Twickenham who are now balloting on industrial action with a result due at the end of the month.

The News Shopper journalists voted no confidence in their regional managing director Roger Mills and director of advertising Dene Stuart.

The NUJ says the vote came after the newsroom was required to take an overnight cut of £35,000 in its editorial budget, resulting in the compulsory redundancy of the News Shopper's deputy editor. It also says journalists were also told that there will be no pay rise at News Shopper for a fourth consecutive year.

A letter to management from the News Shopper NUJ chapel said: “Newsquest lifted its moratorium on pay rises across the group this year and a large number of centres across the group have already received a two per cent pay rise. Although two per cent may could be considered paltry when one takes into account people have waited three years to receive it, it was nevertheless a welcome addition to people's pay packets.


“Our pay claim was lodged in January when no warning of redundancy was in existence, let alone any redundancies announced. Yet despite an agreement which binds News Shopper to open negotiations once the claim has been received, no talks were forthcoming and still have not materialised, despite further requests."


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