For those who have been following the story here, today's proposed strikes were postponed as an act of good faith whilst wage negotiations continue, so say the Press Gazette, here.
NUJ Deputy General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet is reported as saying:
"I'm pleased to report that we've had constructive negotiations with management.
"As a sign of good faith, the chapel has called off the industrial action planned for Monday.
"Our members don't want to go on strike - they just want management to address their concerns about low pay."
Tellingly Political editor John Haylett of the Morning Star is then quoted as saying:
"Wages are low at our paper for the same reason that they are so at every other socialist paper,"
"We have low circulation and no access to the big business advertising that keeps every capitalist daily paper in being.
"All socialist papers are sustained on the basis of sacrifice by staff and supporters.
"The Morning Star, as the world's only English-language daily broad-left socialist newspaper, is no different.
"To present this committee as akin to boards of fat-cat directors who trouser dividends and bonuses is a travesty.
"Every Morning Star staff member is told bluntly at interview: The wages are crap. We work at the paper because we are politically committed to its aims.
"Socialists of any stripe should not be applauding the actions of a group of workers who are putting their own interests before those of our class as a whole."
Make of that as you will, but clearly Mr Haylett is not in the Marketing department (should the Star have such a department) and all would seem not to be well still at the newspaper.
The management offer of a 4% rise and 4% lump sum still stands, but journalists are hoping for more.
I will try to keep up to date and bring you any updates, as and when I hear of them.
Showing posts with label Morning Star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morning Star. Show all posts
Monday, February 23, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Strikes To Take Place At Morning Star Newspaper
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.
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.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Strikes At Morning Star Newspaper?
The Guardian is reporting here that a dispute over wages may be brewing up at the Morning Star after management imposed a 3% pay rise on staff, escalating an existing dispute regarding pay.
Some of the 16 Journalists that work for the Star only earn about £18,000 p.a. all of them are members of the National Union of Journalists.
Political Editor John Haylett earlier this month backed the papers management decision by saying the pay offer was "Generous in a climate where newspapers were closing and staff being retrenched." He Continued by saying "We think the National Union of Journalists is completely out of step with realities."
Journalists are fed up with the low pay and being told each year that they are special cases. The whole episode is soured further by the knowledge that an anonymous consortium recently pledged £500,000, spread over 3 years, to help with the papers running costs. There was however a caveat that the cash could not be used to bolster journalists wage packets.
The imposition of the pay deal has been criticised by Jeremy Dear of the NUJ who is accusing the Morning Star of undermining the collective bargaining process with the "Unilateral Imposition" of the pay deal.
The 16 Journalists are already balloting on strike action, with the result due on 5th February. Perhaps the workers should rise up and throw of the shackles of injustice?
The Morning Star was founded in 1930 as the Daily Worker, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Great Britain. The name changed in 1966 to the Morning Star.
The paper also has an online edition which can be viewed here.
Some of the 16 Journalists that work for the Star only earn about £18,000 p.a. all of them are members of the National Union of Journalists.
Political Editor John Haylett earlier this month backed the papers management decision by saying the pay offer was "Generous in a climate where newspapers were closing and staff being retrenched." He Continued by saying "We think the National Union of Journalists is completely out of step with realities."
Journalists are fed up with the low pay and being told each year that they are special cases. The whole episode is soured further by the knowledge that an anonymous consortium recently pledged £500,000, spread over 3 years, to help with the papers running costs. There was however a caveat that the cash could not be used to bolster journalists wage packets.
The imposition of the pay deal has been criticised by Jeremy Dear of the NUJ who is accusing the Morning Star of undermining the collective bargaining process with the "Unilateral Imposition" of the pay deal.
The 16 Journalists are already balloting on strike action, with the result due on 5th February. Perhaps the workers should rise up and throw of the shackles of injustice?
The Morning Star was founded in 1930 as the Daily Worker, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Great Britain. The name changed in 1966 to the Morning Star.
The paper also has an online edition which can be viewed here.
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