London Newquest journalists to strike next week

Journalists at Newsquest titles in South West London will go on strike next week in the culmination a long-running dispute with management.

NUJ Members in Twickenham and Sutton have been working to rule since April and last month passed a vote of no confidence in two senior managers. They have now voted for a two-day strike on 15 and 16 June.

Newsquest has told staff it is making a number of journalists redundant, including its entire sport and leisure team in South London.

NUJ head of publishing Barry Fitzpatrick said: “Our members’ overwhelming decision to take strike action in defence of jobs and quality was the inevitable result of a wrong-headed management policy. But it is not too late for the company to show some sense and sit down with us to discuss the future security of the papers which are so important to our members and their communities.”

The affected newspapers are: the Croydon Guardian, Elmbridge Guardian, Epsom Guardian, Kingston Guardian, Streatham Guardian, Surrey Comet, Sutton Guardian, Wandsworth Guardian and Wimbledon Guardian.

NUJ Members said they have so far received the backing of London mayor Boris Johnson and business secretary Vince Cable.

Newsquest chief executive Paul Davidson was not available for comment this morning. When Press Gazette contacted Newsquest’s head office in Weybridge, Surrey, we were told that he was not in today..

Topics in this article : NUJ