Fresh concerns for Irish Independent jobs as workers vote to reject pay cuts

THERE is fresh concern over the possibility of job cuts in the Irish newspaper arm of Independent News & Media (IN&M), after editorial staff members at the Irish Independent yesterday voted to reject pay cut offers recently tabled by the group’s management.

Last month, the group said it was looking to save around €1.5 million this year by implementing pay cuts of between 5% and 10%, dependent on pay grade. The Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, Sunday World and various regional titles are affected.

A deadline of January 9 for staff responses had been put back to January 23. However, editorial staff voted on the offer yesterday as part of an already scheduled National Union of Journalists (NUJ) chapel meeting. The union said yesterday it was seeking meetings with IN&M management in light of the vote.