‘Observer’ union meets as shut-down looms

Press, 14 August 1980, Page 6

‘Observer’ union meets as shut-down looms

NZPA London The national council of the National Graphical Association, the print union of I the “Observer” newspaper shut-down row, will meet today to consider the crisis. The meeting follows the rejection yesterday by Atlantic Richfield, the Los Angel-es-based oil company that owns the paper, of an appeal for a meeting by the N.G.A.’s general secretary (Mr Joe Wade). - ' A spokesman for Atlantic Richfield said last night: “As far as we are concerned, the situation remains the same. There are no plans to meet any union leaders.” ./>•;

The union leaders wanted to meet Atlantic Richfield because they say that the paper’s negotiators in London do not have sufficient authority. The “Observer” management has said that- the paper, the oldest Sunday

paper in Britain, will close on October 19. The management announced the decision to close after the failure of pay talks with the 25 machine managers — members of the N.G.A. — for printing

papers of more than 48 pages. Unions representing the paper’s 1000 other employees have all agreed to new pay settlements. Journalists at the paper are also due to meet to discuss the situation, and other print unions are to have meetings. -

The management’ ; has offered a basic pay : of about $225 for printing a 48-page paper, on a 13-hour Saturday I night shift, with an extra $7.80 for eight more pages, and $15.60 more for 64 pages. The machine managers have rejected this despite ■i being advised to accept it by I the union leaders, 1 The machine managers

have proposed: $240.30 for any sized paper; $225 for 48 pages and talk later on larger papers; yan interim agreement to produce tfvo or three 56-page papers a year.

An N.G.A. national official, George Jerrom, said yesterday that the “Observer” management had a “death wish”, and claimed that an agreement to save the 189-year-old paper could be signed at once if the management wished. “We are ready to settle now,” rhe said.. “We have been painted as the black sheep in this issue, but the ‘‘Observer’ . management seems to have a death wish.”

Meanwhile, the “Observer’’ management refused to comment on'an assertion by Mr Wade that the closure may be brought forward because of a fall in advertising.