NUJ responds to Reach plc crisis proposals
Company plans to put a fifth of its workforce on furlough and cut pay by 10 per cent for remaining staff.
Reach plc (formerly known as Trinity Mirror), one of the largest newspaper, magazine and digital publishers in the UK, has announced today the plan to put a fifth of its workforce on furlough and cut pay by 10 per cent for the remaining staff.
Reach plc has approximately 4,700 staff, meaning around 940 employees being furloughed, and at this stage the company has not made specific figures available on how many editorial staff will be affected. The company has said furloughed staff will receive 90 per cent of their existing pay.
So far the NUJ is aware that a number of local union reps will be furloughed.
The union will endeavour to come to an agreement with Reach plc about the implementation of the proposals.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said:
"This is yet another blow to journalists as they struggle to cover the biggest story in generations and it will hit our members hard as they do this while coping with working from home and looking after their loved ones.
"We are in discussions with the company about the measures they have announced to staff today and will engage fully with them about these provisions and how management seeks to apply them.
"As a union, we will be taking extensive feedback from our members and chapels in the coming days and weeks to make sure whatever is asked of them is fair and proportionate. We have been given assurances that the company regards these as temporary measures and it is important that this is monitored closely to make sure the situation returns to normality as soon as possible."