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July 24, 2009

Trinity Mirror Regionals head hits out at planned Midlands strike

By Oliver Luft

Georgina Harvey, managing director of Trinity Mirror‘s regional newspaper wing, has lashed out at plans by the National Union of Journalists to hold a one-day strike next week across several of the publisher’s titles in the Midlands.

The union confirmed last night that members working on the Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post, Coventry Telegraph, Sunday Mercury and Midlands Weekly Media titles would strike next Thursday, 30 July.

Condemning the action this morning, Harvey said the majority of the publisher’s journalists were being ‘held to ransom’by a minority of its total staff in the region.

Harvey said: ‘We are obviously disappointed with this reckless and negligent decision.

‘It is highly frustrating that the majority of our journalists should be held to ransom like this when only 27 per cent of our entire editorial workforce across the Midlands businesses voted for this action.

‘We are fighting to secure the future of our businesses in the Midlands which are now running at a loss, and this will not benefit the NUJ or their members in any way whatsoever.”

Union members at Trinity Mirror’s Midlands operation are set to strike over plans by the publisher to close nine newspapers and cut almost 120 jobs, including 17 editorial staff.

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Journalists took the decision in a secret ballot which brought condemnation from the publisher as just 45 per cent of the 150 union members took part; however they were overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

Trinity Mirror workplace union chapels are also balloting for action over cuts in Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

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