News today that NUJ members in Middlesbrough are to ballot over threatened compulsory redundancies brings the total of Trinity Mirror chapels currently considering industrial action to five.

Members at the Evening Gazette are particularly angry that they are facing more cuts after jobs went six months ago, the NUJ reports.

Earlier this week members in Birmingham unanimously passed a motion of no confidence in the management of Trinity’s titles in the region.

With colleagues in Coventry they are also balloting for action over plans to close nine titles and cut 17 journalists’ jobs in the midlands.

The NUJ has also announced that 80 members at the TM-owned Chronicle and Journal group in Newcastle are to ballot over compulsory redundancies.

Clearly what Trinity does in one part of its company, it follows up in another. These are not simply local decisions, driven purely by local circumstances.

They are an orchestrated attack not only on the very livelihoods of our members, but also on the kind of journalism they are able to provide to their readers.

The union’s response should of course be equally determined. We need to support these chapels and help them to co-ordinate their fightback.

NUJ Left activists should give whatever practical support we can to these crucial disputes, and encourage other members facing cuts across the country to join the fightback and discuss locally, regionally and nationally how best to organise themselves to campaign and win.

Posted by Rich Simcox

Tags: ballot, cuts, industrial action, job cuts, Middlesbrough, National Union of Journalists, NUJ, NUJ Left, strike, Trinity Mirror