Journalists at the Newcastle Chronicle and its sister titles have voted in favour of strike action in response to management proposals to cut 23 jobs.
Trinity Mirror is making the cutbacks at the Chronicle, Journal, Sunday Sun and their associated local weekly newspapers by creating a single centralised and integrated newsroom along similar lines to those already created by Trinity in Wales and the Midlands.
Management is also proposing to close district offices in North Shields and Durham.
NUJ norther of England organiser Chris Morley said: “The chapel are willing to talk about restructuring but do not want anyone to be forced out of a job.
‘This ballot demonstrates the strength of feeling and gives us a mandate for action if anyone is threatened with compulsory redundancy.”
The ballot – carried out independently – showed 85 per cent in favour of strike action, and 90 per cent for action short of a strike.
The NUJ chapel is meeting again tomorrow to decide what form any industrial action may take.
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