Herald staff to learn more on Monday

STAFF at The Herald group of newspapers are to be given, on Monday, a clearer indication of the new contracts that might await them, including details of salary bands.

Last week, following the appointment of new, editor-in-chief, Donald Martin, management announced all staff would be made redundant and invited to apply for around 30 fewer posts.

Every day this week, Paul Holleran, the Scottish Organiser of the National Union of Journalists, has been in negotiations with management. He told allmediascotland.com: “There has been a lot of movement [on initial management plans], but we are still trying to influence the final position.”

At the mass meeting, being held at 3pm, staff should also hear about how the redundancy/job application process will exactly operate.

Holleran said he was unaware of rumours suggesting the sub-editing operations at the group’s three titles – The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times – are to be merged into one, comprising one group subbing chief, two deputies and 35 subs, with the possible loss of around 20 subbing posts. He said: “Everything is still so fluid, including job numbers and descriptions.”

Spike has since heard the actual number of subbing posts to go may be eight.