Journalists to meet oyer halted award talks

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 3

Journalists to meet oyer halted award talks

The Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Journalists’ Union will hold stop-work meetings today to report back on the adjournment of award negotiations in Wellington. The national secretary of the union, Mr Tony Wilton, said meetings would be held throughout the country to report back to members. The union’s national council will meet on Wednesday to hear the outcome of the meetings

and decide on what course to take. Talks have been adjourned at the union’s request after an offer by the employers of an 8.5 per cent wage rise. The union has asked for a 10 per cent wage increase. Employers have also offered a 6 per cent increase to journalists, other than sub-editors, for using computer technology, an extra 3 per cent to subeditors for handling the

new technology, and a $5O-a-week night travel allowance. The union is chasing $6O a week travel allowance, and higher new technology and productivity payments. The union also wants the number of workers exempt from union membership at metropolitan newspapers reduced to three. -Employers have offered to drop numbers from nine to seven under certain conditions.