Exclusive: Post and Echo faces industrial action ballot

THE National Union of Journalists has officially informed the management of the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo of its intention to ballot its Old Hall Street members for industrial action following the decision to replace the Daily Post with a weekly edition.

NUJ members will be asked if they support strike action, or action short of a strike, should Trinity Mirror impose any compulsory redundancies.

The company has already announced six job losses as a result of the closure of the 156-year old daily edition and its switch to a weekly.

The NUJ is also angered at the way a BBC team arrived at Old Hall Street headquarters before chapel officials and staff had been informed of the changes and job losses.

'Angered'

NUJ Assistant Organiser Lawrence Shaw said: “We have informed the management, as we are legally obliged to do so, that NUJ members at the LDP&E will be balloted and asked to vote on industrial action should the company impose on any of our members any compulsory redundancies.

"We are required as a trade union to give the management seven days' notice and then ballot our members over a two week period. The chapel will then decide on a course of action once the result of the ballot is known.”

Mr Shaw added: “The chapel has also sent a letter to the management at Old Hall Street expressing its lack of confidence.

"Our members were upset and angered when a BBC team arrived to cover the changes proposed for the Daily Post and the three weekly newspapers (Merseymart, Star and Bootle Times), before NUJ chapel officials and staff had been informed.

“With such a sensitive issue involving the loss of jobs, the management should have first informed chapel officials and staff.”