Neil Wilby Media

Over 300 journalists at National World, many of whom previously worked for predecessor companies, JPI Media and Johnston Press, took part yesterday in historic strike action that will continue on selected days throughout September.

Today, Tuesday 19th September, 2023, sees the start of working to rule across the business, nationwide.

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Members delivered a clear mandate last month, when 78 per cent of journalists employed by the publisher voted in favour of strike action in the first ever company-wide ballot.

On 1st September, 2023, the NUJ National World Group Chapel met, and reps voted unanimously to serve notice on the Company for three days of strike action. Confirmed strike dates are today, Monday 18th September; Friday 22nd September and Monday 25th September. A work to rule will commence on Tuesday 19th September.

Why are members striking?
The NUJ has held negotiations with National World in efforts to agree a fair pay package for staff that takes steps to improve minimum salaries and address pay disparities at the Company.

Despite the Union’s best efforts, the publisher imposed a below-inflation 4.5 per cent pay increase to journalists and has failed to adequately consider the financial hardship experienced by some staff on low wages. Negotiations with the mediation service, ACAS, ended in deadlock as National World refused to improve its offer to Members, despite several options presented by the NUJ’s negotiation team, keen to reach agreement.

The Union has urged National World’s management to return to negotiations with an improved offer that settles the dispute. Half-year results published in July, 2023 revealed cash reserves of £22m and shareholders have received payouts of £1.4m. Despite this, management at the company have failed to offer a revised package, reflecting the contribution of journalists to that success.

Also in July, NUJ members delivered a vote of no confidence in the National World Board and David Montgomery, Executive Chairman. Journalists want to be at work, but have been left with no option than to strike for an improved pay deal.

A company-wide voluntary redundancy scheme opened in July followed a restructuring that saw more than 50 journalists placed at risk of redundancy, with more than 25 leaving on a voluntary or compulsory basis. The NUJ has previously condemned the company’s poor handling of these recent processes.

The strike will affect over 100 of the country’s best known regional newspaper dailies, including The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post (YP), The Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP), Belfast’s News Letter, Sunderland Echo, Lancashire Post, Sheffield Star, Northampton Chronicle and The News in Portsmouth.

Pickets
Striking journalists will be gathered yesterday (Monday 18th September) for rallies in Belfast, Derry, Edinburgh, Kettering, Leeds, Portsmouth, Preston, Sheffield and Sunderland and welcomed the support and solidarity of fellow NUJ members, and others, through messages posted on social media using #NationalWorldStrike:

A spokesperson for the NUJ’s Leeds and West Yorkshire Branch (of which Neil Wilby is a Member) said last week:

“It’s a week to go now until the first day of strike action for our Members at National World. Details for the rally in Leeds city centre on Monday September 18th and an online rally to be held that afternoon are available here: https://www.nuj.org.uk/resource/national-world-strike.html

“This is the first action to be taken at the YP/YEP since the 2009 strike – and it’s the first time we’ve taken co-ordinated action across the whole business on pay. The bigger the turnout for each of our rallies, the greater the pressure on the company to return to talks at ACAS.

“If you can make it along to the rally yourself next Monday then it will be a huge boost for the morale of our Members, many of whom have never taken part in industrial action or attended a picket line or rally before now. Please do spread the word with any former National World colleagues and trade union contacts, too.

“Our members at National World have been encouraged to write to their MPs and a letter will be going to all Yorkshire local authorities this week too. Anything Members want to do individually to raise it with people in positions of influence will be a huge help”.

Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East turned up in person to the rally outside the Town Hall to show his solidarity with the strikers.

Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter (here) and Neil Wilby Media on Facebook (here) for signposts to any updates.

Page last updated: Tuesday 19th September, 2023 at 08h15

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Picture credit: NUJ

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