Aug 2004

7 July 2004

The proposed NUJ strike on Friday has now been cancelled after an agreement was made between journalists and editor Alan Kirby and managing director John Griffith.

This agreement reached should be of particular benefit to all the lowest paid journalists on both the Evening Telegraph and our weekly titles.

Thanks for your support.

Barbara Goulden (MoC)

8 July 2004

Journalists at Coventry Newspapers have called-off a one day strike planned for tomorrow after securing an instant pay rise for trainees.

Management at the Trinity Mirror-owned group agreed to a three pronged settlement to end the threatened walk-out.

An improved pay structure for trainees will be introduced on August 1.

Pay for seniors on the weeklies will be reviewed with "unfairness" addressed as soon as possible - without waiting for the next pay round.

A new pay grading system will be negotiated with a target date of April 1 2005.

The management also agreed to recognise the union and negotiate for the January 2005 pay round after a membership check by ACAS showed 65 percent support for the union in editorial.

Miles Barter
Northern Regional Organiser

Coventry not out

Members at Trinity Mirror titles in Coventry were due to have struck over low pay on 9 July. Please check www.londonfreelance.org for updates and sent messages of support: email coventry_strike@yahoo.co.uk.

It's over pay. There are qualified seniors on weekly titles who earn less than £13,000.

There was a 66 percent vote for a strike in the ballot and a unanimous vote to go ahead at a chapel meeting.

It's the culmination of a complicated dispute that has gone on for three years, in which the company has refused to negotiate because they say the union is not recognised - although in 2001 the union had a certificate from ACAS confirming membership levels at over 50 per cent.

ACAS has just done a fresh membership check that should put an end to these wrangles over procedure and result in an agreement. But even then managers are refusing to discuss present pay levels and will only negotiate next year's pay review.

For the last three years the NUJ has put in pay claims that managers have simply ignored, imposing their own meagre rises each January 1. But the journalists are determined to win decent pay levels now.

As always, the Chapel would appreciate it if any freelances asked to cover found themselves to be unavailable. Any who suffer hardship while being unavailable should contact them c/o the Northern Freelance Office, milesb@nuj.org.uk.

The Johnston Press titles in and near Blackpool that struck on 11 June voted two days later to accept the company's offer.

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