Heading for HQ

Members of the Daily Echo NUJ Chapel are today heading to Newsquest headquarters in London to protest to the
company’s senior management over their treatment of staff, who continue to be squeezed while bosses get huge bonuses.

Fight for fairness continues

The continuing battle for fair pay amidst Newsquest’s pay freeze for staff while the company bosses enjoy huge pay rises has hit the headlines again in the last few days.

Staff who crossed the picket line have been given bonus payments for doing so. Below are links to coverage of the story.

• Daily Echo pays bonus to those crossing picket line (Press Gazette)
• Newsquest defends bonus payments (journalism.co.uk)
• Editor defends bonus payments for non-strikers (Hold the Front Page)

Paul Davidson will enjoy Christmas this year

In case you’re wondering who Paul Davidson is, he is the executive thought to be the recipient of the 21 per cent pay rise – taking his salary to over £600,000 pa.

In case you’re wondering what he looks like, here he is.

Carol singing protest

Echo staff singing Christmas carols in Southampton

The Echo staff on strike have today been out in central Southampton singing Christmas carols, handing out leaflets and talking to members of the public explaining what the dispute is all about.
Many members of the public were appalled at Newsquest’s ongoing attitude to pay and fairness for staff, while reaping £88m profits and paying out huge bonuses to executives on the back of the workers’ endeavours.

Hitting the streets

On Wednesday, the Daily Echo journalists will be in the centre of Southampton to sing carols, spread the word and explain exactly what the strike is about.

Please feel free to come down and see us outside The Bargate in Above Bar Precinct from 12.00pm. Although everyone in Southampton knows where to find the Bargate, just in case, there’s a handy map below. The Bargate is the big, blue “i”.

View Larger Map

Journalists on the picket line

Echo staff on strike outside Newspaper House

Echo staff have this morning been out in force at the start of the latest two day strike, in a bid to force Newsquest’s senior management to treat staff fairly.
Colleagues in Brighton have also been manning a picket line outside their newsroom. Even the grim reaper made an appearance, such is the fear for the future.

Focus on the man at the top

The November column from Grey Cardigan is scathing about the decision of Newsquest executives to award one of their number a massive pay rise while staff face an ongoing pay freeze.

Press Gazette house style won’t let me to use the epithet that most suits Mr Davidson, but I’m sure the editor will allow me to express the honestly held opinion that such casual greed is quite despicable, to say the least.

Read more at Grey Cardigan.