Hundreds of payouts claimed over Newsquest proceduresThe NUJ is to seek compensation which could total two million pounds for journalists who were forced to re-apply for their own jobs at the Glasgow Herald group. The NUJ is to seek compensation which could total two million pounds for journalists who were forced to re-apply for their own jobs at the Glasgow Herald group. The Glasgow titles are owned by Newsquest, publishers of the Oxford Mail & Times.
In a letter to members working at The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times newspapers, the union says it believes Newsquest’s handling of the procedure could result in a payout of between £5,000 and £10,000 per union member.
In a separate development, Newsquest has come under fire for carrying adverts for the British National Party on a number of its websites. NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: “Newsquest should be ashamed of itself for taking money from an organisation that advocates racist policies that would directly discriminate against the communities these websites serve.
“This disgraceful decision not only damages the reputation of the company’s online and print titles. Journalists will also find their ability to win the trust and confidence of their communities undermined by this decision.
“It seems incredible that managers would even consider taking advertising from the BNP. Many journalists who have investigated the party in the past have since found themselves on far-right hate websites that try to intimidate journalists to stop them from taking up investigations.
“NUJ chapels should raise objections with management if BNP adverts appear in the papers, or on their websites.”
AW 2009-06-06
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