Journalists vote to take industrial action

AN overwhelming majority of the journalists working for the Irish Examiner and Evening Echo have voted in favour of industrial action in pursuit of a pay claim.

Of 101 ballot papers returned to the head offices of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), 87 were in favour of industrial action, with just 14 against.

The chapel or in-house members of the NUJ will consider what form the industrial action will take when they meet next Friday.

The ballot was taken in furtherance of a pay claim lodged by the union last May to agree a new pay deal to replace the one which ran out on January 1 this year, and to resolve the difficulties faced by members, especially those on strikingly low pay for the industry.

Most of these members were employed after 1995 following an agreement with the union to restructure wages. This agreement was reached to enable the company overcome financial difficulties it faced at the time.

The union has been seeking an 8% pay increase per year for three years, with the award structured in favour of lower-paid workers.

Tom Murphy, chief executive of the Irish Examiner, said yesterday: “The sooner this matter is referred to the Labour Court the better for all concerned. I understand the NUJ is the party entitled to refer this matter to the Labour Court.

“Also, the company was today informed that four of the five unions who represent the majority of employees in the Irish Examiner have voted to accept the company’s offer of increases in basic pay of 3% for calendar year 2003, 4% for 2004 and 4% for 2005, together with a continuation of the existing profit sharing arrangement for each of these years.”

SIPTU, Amicus-MSF and the Graphical Paper Media Union (GPMU) have been pursuing a joint claim against the companies which publish the Irish Examiner and Evening Echo. Those unions made an initial claim of 7% over 18 months.

The Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union reached an early settlement with the company on its pay claim.