Thursday, January 06, 2011

Newsquest | Amid rain, Brighton staff strikes

In at least their third round of such strikes, members of the UK's National Union of Journalists at Gannett's Argus in Brighton started a two-day protest this morning outside the paper's office. Along with NUJ members at the Northern Echo in Darlington, employees are protesting cost-cutting efforts by GCI's Newsquest division. Those efforts include meager pay raises after a multi-year freeze, and the elimination of jobs through consolidation of editing work at production hubs.

Related: strike blogs for Brighton and Darlington

[Photo: NUJ]

10 comments:

  1. ROCK ON, GUYS!! I HOPE SOMETHING COMES OF IT!

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  2. The spirit of independence and liberty, waning in the former colony, is alive in the Mother Country. Hooray, Brit journalists! Give Gannett Hell.

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  3. But... but... but they assured us we didn't NEED a union, that they'd always look out for us loyal employees. Oh... wait.

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  4. The strike blog for NUJ Darlington, nujdarlington.blogspot.com, now has video footage and photographs up from the day. The strike was featured on BBC and ITV television locally, and on BBC Radio Five Live nationally as part of a debate on bosses reaping the benefits while workers are left with nothing. The video can also be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob731MwS6No

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  5. Rock on lemmings! Pay more dues get nothing in return. Strike for a day and don't get paid. Rick on

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  6. I guess 8:41 has some truck with principles. Agreed, it's all hopeless and we know how the story ends. Yet that's no need to not put it out there. For if hopelessness worked, everyone would curl up into a little ball. Gannett is going down, and the current board has ruined more lives than any other before. My own career with this beast for 25 years, just poofed. Not even a handshake from the publisher. NOTHING. Me, I'm all for strikes. Read history not taught in our crappy schools. Strike!

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  7. This reminds me of the hundreds of thousands of Jews being lined up to be shot at Babi Yar. They far outnumbered their executioners, yet waited as if buying a ticket. Gannett is going ahead with layoffs. Everyone knows corporate has not been honest once. Ever. What does one have to lose? What's wrong or right with a general strike?

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  8. 8:41 clearly doesn't know what a lemming is. These guys are doing the unusual -- not following the footsteps of most Gannett employees and keeping their heads down. They should be applauded.

    Meanwhile, 8:41 should be immediately promoted. His/her limited ability to understand the English language and flawed logic indicates that he/she could be a great Gannett executive.

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  9. Furloughed Fury1/08/2011 8:43 PM

    8:41=Troll. Yes, you corporate stooge, all unions are not necessary, because the interests of US Gannett employees are so well represented by......corporate? the board? chief executives? Thank you to our brothers and sister in the mother country who are standing up for themselves.

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  10. Kathy Wetmore1/09/2011 1:50 AM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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