Four compulsory redundancies and a district office closure have been avoided at Staffordshire Newspapers – but 11 jobs, and three district offices, have still been lost.
In November, the Iliffe-owned publisher of the Burton Mail announced it was cutting 15 journalists’ jobs and four district offices in Ashbourne, Leek, Swadlincote and Uttoxeter.
After 11 posts were lost to volunteers and non-replacement, compulsory redundancies were announced – prompting the National Union of Journalists’ chapel to vote for an industrial action ballot.
But the union said today that, after negotiations, the compulsory redundancies have been cancelled and the Ashbourne office will stay open.
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The ballot for industrial action, however, may still go ahead.
NUJ northern regional organiser Chris Morley said: “The ballot is continuing and the chapel will meet to decide their next move.
“But yesterday’s announcement – although it doesn’t go as far as we would like – shows that when a chapel is brave and determined it can save jobs and successfully stand up for journalism.”
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The group’s newspapers include the Burton Mail, Your Leek, the Staffordshire Newsletter, and the Ashbourne News Telegraph.
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