View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Threat of action lifted as FT drops China move plan

By Oliver Luft

The threat of industrial action at the Financial Times has been lifted after a proposal to move four journalists working on FT Chinese to China was dropped.

Members of the National Union of Journalists threatened to ballot on industrial action two weeks ago claiming the staff, two of whom are British citizens, were under threat of redundancy if they did not move to China, where their salaries would be halved.

The union today praised the “good sense” of management at the newspaper for reconsidering an “unacceptable decision”.

David Crouch, union’s father of chapel at the FT, said: “We are pleased that our employer has realised just how unfair and unacceptable were its proposals for our Chinese colleagues.

“We look forward to talking with management about securing the future of our Chinese journalists at the Financial Times on proper terms and conditions.”

The FT declined to comment this morning however earlier this month a spokesman for the paper told Press Gazette the China move was a proposal which “wouldn’t move forward until the individuals concerned were comfortable with that proposal.”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network