Newspaper's staff to stage stoppage

Staff at the Irish Examiner and Evening Echo are to stage a two-hour work stoppage on Monday after the NUJ failed to reach an agreement with management at a conciliation meeting held on Thursday under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission.

The NUJ are to hold a meeting on Monday to ballot on the existing offer consisting of, inter alia, an increase in basic pay of 3% for 2003, 4% for 2004 and 4% for 2005, together with the continuation of the existing profit sharing arrangements for those years.

The offer has been accepted by all other unions, representing the majority of staff. The Conciliation Officer indicated that if the parties failed to reach agreement that the matter should be referred to the Labour Court.