Journalists at the Derby Evening Telegraph have labelled their bosses ‘hypocrites’for campaigning against jobs moving to nearby Nottingham – while the paper moves sub-editors in the same direction.
The Telegraph ran a successful campaign to stop the Government moving civil service workers out of the city.
But parent company Northcliffe has announced that production on the Telegraph and Leicester Mercury is being centralised at the Nottingham Evening Post.
The Telegraph is also petitioning the Government to ‘Change Track’ over jobs at train-maker Bombardier.
The National Union of Journalists branch passed the following motion: ‘Derby and Burton branch of the NUJ condemns proposals by Northcliffe Newspapers to centralise its sub-editing organisation for Derby and Leicester into a hub at Nottingham, with a potential loss of jobs for experienced journalists.
‘The branch believes that sub-editors on local newspapers with a wealth of local knowledge should be based in the local communities that they serve.
‘The branch also feels that the centralisation of sub-editing operations will further undermine the quality of local newspapers, which have already suffered cutbacks in staff.
‘The branch notes that the Derby Evening Telegraph successfully campaigned to keep tax personnel jobs in Derby rather than transfer them to Nottingham, and is currently leading a campaign to protect work and jobs at Bombardier.
‘The branch feels that it is inconsistent and hypocritical therefore to allow jobs at Derby to be lost to Nottingham, and calls on the management to change track.”
Update 5.50pm: Evening Telegraph editor Steve Hall said in a statement: “It is difficult for the Evening Telegraph to comment in detail on the NUJ’s motion because it is still involved in consultation with its staff. But it is unhelpful and mischievous of the union to use the newspaper’s successful campaigning on behalf of its community as a stick to beat management.
“Hands Off Our Taxmen was run two years ago when the Government wanted to move 400 workers out of the city and close down all of its revenue and customs operations here – a move that did not make sense for the local economy or for the taxpayer who would have had to cover the huge cost of the re-organisation.
“Our proposal to move production of some pages to Nottingham has been formulated at a time of unprecedented financial challenge for our industry and is concerned with safeguarding the long-term future of our newspaper in Derby and the jobs of scores of publishing staff here.
“Whatever happens with the consultation, the Evening Telegraph will remain rooted at the heart of its community – and will never aplogise for campaigning on its behalf.”
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
