I blogged here in late January that there was a possibility that journalists at the Morning Star newspaper might go on strike in a pay dispute. On Friday, 14 Journalists took part in a ballot with a 11-3 result is favour of strike action.
The Guardian is now reporting a one day strike is planned for Monday 23rd February, and a further one week strike will follow at a later date.
Management at the Morning Star gave staff a 3% pay rise and a one off 3% payment last month. The NUJ had criticise the Morning Star for putting this in place before the workers had agreed saying that management had undermined the collective bargaining process. Management have since offered to increase this to a 4% rise and 4% payment in a hope to avoid strike action.
A recent large donation from an anonymous donor was given with the caveat that it was not used on staff wages. However some of the journalists are thought to earn as little as £18,000 p.a.
Jeremy Dear of the NUJ has said "Our members feel forced into this action by a management that is refusing to pay its staff a fair rate for their work. They don't want to go out on strike but if that's what it takes to win fair pay then they are clear that is what they'll do"
The papers management will continue with negotiations in the hope that strike action can be avoided.
3 comments:
As little as £18k? LMAO! That's far more than I earn as a journalist.
If they are worth more than they are on, can't they go and get paid more somewhere else?
Will anyone with half a brain notice if the paper is not printed one day? Or ever again?
The Morning Star? Is it still published? The "journalists" who work for it should be glad they get as much £18k pa. They can't be very ambitious or, more likely, they think they are socialists. Good for them.I hope they keep voting Labour.
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