Journalists at PA Media have voted in favour of a motion of no confidence in their editor-in-chief after just five months in the role amid planned newsroom cuts.
The PA newsroom also voted in favour of strike action in an indicative vote and in favour of industrial action short of a strike in protest at plans to cut 8% of UK editorial staff.
PA Media last month put 74 members of the UK content team at risk of redundancy with the aim of cutting up to 25 roles.
A statement from the PA Chapel of the National Union of Journalists said: “We warned these cuts would put an intolerable strain on remaining staff, affect the quality of the wire, damage PA’s reputation and diminish the unique position it holds within the UK and Ireland’s media landscape.”
They claimed that 17 people “have been forced to accept voluntary redundancy on terms that are well below the industry standard – or face the prospect of compulsory redundancy” and that other journalists have left feeling their roles were “untenable” amid an “incalculable” blow to staff morale.
According to the chapel, editor in chief Jack Lefley takes “100%” responsibility for the management plan. The chapel said the no-confidence vote was carried “overwhelmingly”.
Lefley succeeded PA Media editor-in-chief of ten years Pete Clifton at the start of the year, joining from the Standard where he spent more than 18 years including as acting editor and publisher.
The NUJ chapel said they had put forward 50 pages of counter-proposals in relation to the proposed restructuring but that these were rejected and added that no “adequate or convincing” explanations about the rationale for the cuts or “how the agency would operate on a much-reduced workforce” have been forthcoming.
They have told management they are “particularly concerned” about a potential reduction in dedicated political reporters in the Commons, House of Lords and Holyrood and the impact this would have on reporting the day-to-day business of Government and on the wider democracy as a result.
They have also said that cuts to production journalists would “delay the flow of breaking news to the public and put additional strain on our already overworked colleagues” and raised concerns about the impact on the pictures team which has “for decades been a central pillar of PA’s identity and commercial success”.
The NUJ first reached a recognition agreement and pay deal with PA Media in October. It said it was “saddened” that its “efforts to build a productive, positive, respectful, and collaborative working relationship with the management appear to be under threat”.
NUJ general secretary Laura Davison said: “The strength of feeling from our chapel at PA is very clear. As the process has gone on members have become more angry and frustrated at the approach and potential impact of these damaging cuts.
“The editorial workforce is the company’s core asset and it’s clear that swift and significant efforts need to be made to rebuild relationships and re-assess the company’s strategy.”
The NUJ has also criticised PA Media’s redundancy package. It has said the company is offering 25% above statutory redundancy rates plus £1,000 but said it previously offered double the statutory rate in 2020.
A PA Media spokesperson previously told Press Gazette: “The news media industry is changing and PA Media is proposing to adapt its editorial operation to meet customer needs.
“It is always regrettable putting roles at risk and we are working with stakeholders to minimise the impact on our people as far as possible.”
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