Watch out for possible strike action at the Press Association

JOURNALISTS at the Press Association have voted overwhelmingly for a motion of no confidence in Jack Lefley as PA editor-in-chief. He is promoting a "restructuring plan" that puts 74 editorial staff at proposed risk of redundancy with the loss of up to 25 jobs.

The Chapel, which achieved formal recognition a year ago, also passed an indicative motion "strongly in favour of strike action, and overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action short of strike".

Under Margaret Thatcher's Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 the journalists cannot strike until they have held a further formal ballot..

Freelances have no right to strike in UK law, but they may find themselves unavailable if offered shifts on days when NUJ members are on strike.

Any NUJ freelance who suffers a loss of income as a result of turning down shifts offered during a strike should contact the NUJ Chapel (workplace-based unit of NUJ organisation) for that media group.

Watch for more news here and at www.nuj.org.uk/news

© Mike Holderness

Vote of no confidence in PA Media editor-in-chief... nuj.org.uk