NUJ tells Media Wales let's work on rescue plan

The NUJ at Trinity Mirror's Media Wales, publisher of the Western Mail, the South Wales Echo, and Wales on Sunday has rejected taking immediate industrial action over 22 proposed job cuts and says it wants to work on a rescue plan with the company.

The move comes after the company shared financial information with the union on a confidential basis.

NUJ Media Wales FoC Martin Shipton (pictured) said: "The Welsh economy is heavily dependent on the public sector, and there is no doubt that spending cuts imposed by the UK government have resulted in an unprecedented drop in revenue from recruitment and retail advertisers.

"We are seriously concerned about the future of the company and as part of the redundancy consultation process have called on the management to develop a rescue plan for the future in conjunction with the NUJ.

"The company has provided us with financial information on a confidential basis that has led us to reject industrial action as a realistic option at this time. Instead we are working to achieve the best possible outcome in the circumstances, both for those who will be leaving the company and those who will remain."

Under the proposed job cuts, some production jobs would go part-time, with work concentrated at peak hours towards the end of the day. There would be a reduction of eight full-time equivalent posts in production. Ten district jobs would go plus four from the sports department.

• The Welsh Assembly is to launch an investigation later this year in response to widespread cuts to the country’s press and broadcasting industries. A task group will be established in September to look at “emerging and future issues” faced by the media.

Trinity Mirror plans to axe 22 jobs at Media Wales

NUJ members at Trinity Mirror's Media Wales, which publishes the Western Mail, South Wales Echo, Wales on Sunday, and other titles, are demanding immediate talks with management after plans to cut 22 editorial jobs were announced.

Under the management proposals, 10 district office staff, eight production journalists and four members of the sports staff would be made redundant.

The NUJ chapel members unanimously passed a motion criticising the pay packet of Trinity Mirror chief executive Sly Bailey. It reads: "This Chapel expresses shock at the scale of editorial cuts being proposed by the management of Media Wales.

"While recognising the especially challenging nature of the trading climate in Wales, it is determined to do everything possible to protect the jobs, wages and conditions of its members, as well as the quality of our products.

"The Chapel instructs the Chapel committee to enter immediate talks with management to secure the best possible outcome and authorises the committee to take whatever action it sees fit in association with the union's national officers, including organising a strike ballot.

"The Chapel also expresses its outrage at the obscene level of remuneration enjoyed by Trinity Mirror chief executive Sly Bailey - £1.7m in 2010 - and her fellow directors and calls on them to volunteer for a pay cut."

Father of the Chapel Martin Shipton said: "We shall be entering an intensive period of negotiation with management to mitigate the damage to our members' livelihood and the newspapers we produce.

"Members are especially angry that while they are expected to lose their jobs or in some cases take pay cuts, Sly Bailey and her fellow directors continue to be paid obscene amounts of money."