Journalists vow to strike over Media Wales jobs
NUJ MEMBERS at Media Wales in Cardiff have voted by 96 percent for strike action over the company’s plans to make 13 journalists’ jobs redundant.
The Trinity Mirror-owned subsidiary publishes the Western Mail, the South Wales Echo, Wales on Sunday and the Celtic series of weekly papers.
In a strike ballot in defence of its policy that no-one should be made to leave against their will, journalists voted 68 to 3 in favour of action.
Martin Shipton, Father of the NUJ Chapel, said: “The result gives the union a clear mandate to organise industrial action. We shall, however, continue to hold discussions with the company with the aim of achieving a position where all redundancies are voluntary.
“We are also determined that those who remain will not be expected to undertake excessive workloads under the new working arrangements which we shall be negotiating with the company.”
AN MP and a Welsh assembly minister have voiced concern at the closure of two paid-for weeklies in the Media Wales group with the loss of 15 jobs, part of the company’s latest cutbacks.
Aberavon MP Hywel Francis said he was “extremely sorry” at the end of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardians, which had served his constituency for decades with community news, local campaigning and sports news.
Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said local papers were key in discussing local issues and campaigning. “I am saddened to hear of the demise of another local title.”