The Press Gazette reports that the editor of The Scotsman, Neil McIntosh, has warned staff against taking strike action following news of a ballot by the National Union of Journalists.
He said that industrial action risks harming the business in an email to staff which the Press Gazette has seen. 45 out of 60 journalists at The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News are being balloted in the next fortnight over a proposed restructuring and redundancies.
These job losses could amount to 30 compulsory redundancies at the two papers as announced in June. But at the same time the paper is recruiting for new jobs for digital journalists.
Changes are also planned at the paper to share support over all the titles in the UK no matter where they are situated. The Edinburgh Reporter understands that the Edinburgh Evening News will now join a group called City Worlds – a division of the publisher National World. The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News are part of National World following a rebranding from JPI previously known as Johnston Press.
NUJ national organiser for Scotland John Toner told Press Gazette: “Our members have faced many rounds of redundancies over the past decade, severely reducing staffing levels and increasing workloads.
“Compulsory redundancies are a red line for our chapel, which is why members have chosen to ballot for industrial action.
“We believe that it is still possible to ensure that any redundancies are voluntary, and we will continue to represent members through the consultation process in an effort to achieve that.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
