NUJ members at Trinity Mirror’s midlands titles have voted massively in favour of industrial action over compulsory job cuts and the closure of papers.
Of those taking part in secret postal ballots 84 percent voted to strike, and 97 percent to take action short of a strike.
The polls covered journalists on the Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post, Coventry Telegraph, Sunday Mercury and Midlands Weekly Media titles.
The ballots were called after the NUJ revealed plans to close papers, cut jobs and take the axe to the Birmingham Post as a daily title.
Trinity Mirror workplace union chapels are also balloting for action over cuts in Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
Chris Morley, NUJ Northern Organiser, said: “This ballot result is a strong indication of the feelings of our members at Trinity Mirror in the midlands about the cuts that have been announced and the others that we believe are planned.”
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ Deputy General Secretary, said: “Let's hope this strong ballot vote will bring the company to the negotiating table.
“Trinity Mirror management should realise that compulsory redundancies, and the attacks on journalism in the midlands that they propose, are totally unacceptable to their own workforce.
“If the chapels in the midlands have to take industrial action against these cuts the union will give them our full support.”
The Birmingham NUJ members meet to decide their next move on Wednesday. The Coventry chapel meets on Thursday.
The action in the midlands is part of a union-wide campaign against media cutbacks.
20 July 2009