Telegraph owners hit back over ballot figures

The owners of the Belfast Telegraph, Independent News and Media (INM), have hit back at the NUJ over figures they published for the strike ballot held last week.

The NUJ had claimed that almost three quarters of staff journalists at the newspaper voted in favour of industrial action. However, INM responded today by saying that the figures were misleading. The Dublin-based company say that of the 111 editorial staff on the books at the newspaper, only 44 employees favoured strike action. INM claim that this amounts to just 36% of the total compliment of journalists – somewhat at odds to the figure quoted by the NUJ.

NUJ Irish secretary Eoin Ronayne stood by his original release, countering with some statistics of his own. He claimed that of the 88 journalists eligible to vote, 68% balloted their voted – which, he said, represented three quarters of those who were actually in a position to vote.

The Belfast Telegraph journalists threatened strike action last week after the company froze pay across all titles in the group. Workers claimed that the freeze amounts to a pay cut, as they would miss out on a pay increase in line with inflation of around 2%.

National Union of Journalist (NUJ) officials subsequently informed management of the ballot result, and have warned that strike action would take place unless INM reversed its decision.

NUJ officials claim journalists in Belfast were on a smaller wage than their Dublin counterparts, however INM said the decision to freeze pay was due to the tough economic climate.

(MB)