Hopes fading for ‘Times’ settlement

Press, 29 November 1978, Page 8

Hopes fading for ‘Times’ settlement

NZPA-Reuter ■ Londoi Lingering hopes of avoid ing a shut-down of Time Newspapers have faded fur ther. “The Times” reported it; management and unions ti be entrenched in their posi tions. Last-minute appeals to th< Government and the Trade; Union Council had drawn n< hopeful reaction. In a special article in th; “Daily Telegraph”, Lori McGregor, chairman of thi 1975-77 British Royal Com mission on the press, con eluded that no other actioi would protect the publii interest. The publishers of “Thi Times,” the “Sunday Times’ and “Times" supplement have set a deadline of to morrow for print unions tc agree to management propo sals. Unless there was ful agreement by all unions tt cut out unofficial strikes ant produce the newspaper: with fewer staff, the paper: would shut down, Time: Newspapers’ chief executive Mr M. J. Hussey, said. The management’s casi has been put in advertise ments in every nationa newspaper — except thi “Morning Star” and “Dail) Star.” The full-page advertise

i ment was headed: ‘'What [ forces us to consider suspending publication of some ; of the best newspapers in ■ the world?” In his article headed ; “Watershed on Fleet Street," j.Lord McGregor, professor of ■:social institutions at London, University, discussed “the' ! sickness of Times News-' > papers ... as part of the > general ills of the industry.” He wrote that the stated 1 aims of Times Newspapers 1 were in accordance with the !; recommendations of the ■i Royal Commission which ■ examined the benefits which: 1 could be obtained from the : new technology without injury to the immediate or ‘ long-term interests of work- ’ ers in the industry. > “The commission wrote -.[that ‘We are saddened by i the reckless disregard of ■ peril shown by the chapels and workers ... if this suiI cidal behaviour persists, it is Ha safe prediction that Fleet; I [Street will experience the; > fate of New York, where; t;five newspapers were killed > in the decade before 1975’.” Lord McGregor continued:! “No doubt the security con- ■ ferred by oil revenues (to[ the Thomson organisation)( I: has played a part in the i t decision of Times News- ( papers. “But however drastic it may be, the recent history;

of the industry suggests that no other course of action is likely in the long run. to protect the public interests in the assured publication of newspapers.” The National Graphical Association, the craft print- | ing union that has with drawn from negotiations with Times Newspapers, said it had “no intention of re- ; tenting.” A request by a Labour M.P. Mr Max Madden, for emergency debate on the matter was over-ruled by ithe Speaker, but another Labour M.P., Mr Christopher Price, said he would ask what the Secretary of State for Employment (Mr Albert Booth) planned to do about the threatened suspension. The “Financial Times” (not a member of the Times Newspapers group) reported that last-minute efforts, were being made to per- . suade the Prime Minister (Mr James Callaghan) or the T.U.C. to intervene. “But even if Mr Callaghan did intervene — and the Government showed no sign of that yesterday—it looked ■ improbable that Times ; Newspapers would lift its threat to suspend publication," the “Financial Times ’ reported.