Independent staff likely to vote in favour of cuts

STAFF at Independent Newspapers (Ireland) are expected to reluctantly vote in favour of company-wide pay cuts today in order to avoid the threat of job losses as part of the company’s wide-reaching cost-cutting plans.

National Union of Journalists-affiliated staff members have been taking part in an official ballot on the matter since yesterday morning, with the vote due to formally close at 4.30pm today.

Independent News & Media (INM) said in December it was looking to make savings of about €1.5 million across its Irish operations by implementing pay cuts of between 5% and 10%.

The company had been hoping for a 100% acceptance of the terms, in order to avoid making cost savings elsewhere. There is a strong feeling that this could mean job losses in a number of its Irish newspaper titles.

Management has said it has been happy with the voluntary take-up of the offer in recent weeks, even though there was initial staff resistance to the offer last month.

Meanwhile, the Western People newspaper in Mayo is seeking 10 redundancies.

A spokesman for the Thomas Crosbie Holdings-owned newspaper said the company is seeking to address issues of cost as revenues fall in the present economic downturn.

It is understood that five production jobs, one in photographic, three editorial and one finance post are being targeted by the company.