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09/08/2002
Belfast Telegraph journalists vote for strike action
Belfast Telegraph owners are facing up to the first industrial action to hit the paper's newsroom in over 20 years.
On Thursday evening journalists attending a National Union of Journalists meeting voted unanimously in favour of a 48-hour strike over pay and conditions. However, the strike, which was originally due to start on the morning of Friday, August 16, has been delayed due a legal technicality.
A spokesperson for the union confirmed that management had succeeded in delaying the start date of the industrial action after they claimed that they had not received seven-days clear notification.
All 60 journalists who attended the meeting voted for the industrial action following the unanimous rejection by all present of an improved offer from representatives of the newspapers' owners Dublin-based Independent News and Media (INM).
The journalists' dispute with INM began over a decision to freeze pay which, union representatives claim, effectively represents a 2% cut in pay due to inflation.
The spokesperson said that management at the Belfast Telegraph should be under no illusion on the mood of the journalists.
He said that while management had made "minor improvements in fringe benefits" it had failed to impress the journalists.
However, the spokesperson maintained that the union representatives would be standing by to talk with management.
A meeting is due to take place between unions and management on Thursday, August 15.
Should the strike go ahead it affect the week's top-selling Friday jobs edition of the Belfast Telegraph, one of the provinces top daily regional papers.
The action is also likely to affect production of the Saturday edition of the paper and the Sunday Life.
The pay freeze first came to light when NUJ officials were attempting to negotiate union recognition for the journalists working for the INM's Belfast-based papers.
(SP)
On Thursday evening journalists attending a National Union of Journalists meeting voted unanimously in favour of a 48-hour strike over pay and conditions. However, the strike, which was originally due to start on the morning of Friday, August 16, has been delayed due a legal technicality.
A spokesperson for the union confirmed that management had succeeded in delaying the start date of the industrial action after they claimed that they had not received seven-days clear notification.
All 60 journalists who attended the meeting voted for the industrial action following the unanimous rejection by all present of an improved offer from representatives of the newspapers' owners Dublin-based Independent News and Media (INM).
The journalists' dispute with INM began over a decision to freeze pay which, union representatives claim, effectively represents a 2% cut in pay due to inflation.
The spokesperson said that management at the Belfast Telegraph should be under no illusion on the mood of the journalists.
He said that while management had made "minor improvements in fringe benefits" it had failed to impress the journalists.
However, the spokesperson maintained that the union representatives would be standing by to talk with management.
A meeting is due to take place between unions and management on Thursday, August 15.
Should the strike go ahead it affect the week's top-selling Friday jobs edition of the Belfast Telegraph, one of the provinces top daily regional papers.
The action is also likely to affect production of the Saturday edition of the paper and the Sunday Life.
The pay freeze first came to light when NUJ officials were attempting to negotiate union recognition for the journalists working for the INM's Belfast-based papers.
(SP)
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