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Monday, February 23, 2009

Morning Star Strike - Update

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.

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