NUJ to ask Johnston Press journalists to vote again on group-wide strike action

The National Union of Journalists will again ballot its members working at Johnston Press on strike action after the regional publisher’s successful legal challenge to block a proposed group-wide walkout.

The union was forced to call off its planned group-wide action last week as Johnston Press argued on a technicality that it does not employ any journalists but that they are in fact employed by autonomous regional businesses.

The NUJ will now ask its members in each centre and each chapel to again vote on strike action.

Johnston Press members in Scotland will also be balloted following the company’s refusal to rule out compulsory job cuts, the union said, and any action resulting from these ballots will be coordinated across the whole group.