Scottish Media Group

Today's news is 'we're on strike'

AROUND 300 members of the NUJ and BECTU unions at STV and Grampian Television were set to strike on Wednesday against a pay freeze, wage cuts and redundancies. This is the first in a series of three one-day strikes against the two companies, both of which are part of the Scottish Media Group (SMG). The 94 percent vote for strike action reflects the anger generated by this vicious attack on wages. For over half of the SMG workers involved, the imposition of the new pay structure will mean large pay cuts or a permanent pay freeze.

Although the company has only declared two redundancies at this stage, the massive scale of the pay cuts will force many more workers out. Some workers are facing a cut of £12,000 per year and a permanent pay freeze. The action of the company is all the more outrageous when it is considered that the chief executive of SMG is paid £325,000 a year. In addition, three individuals on the SMG board own £2.5 million in company shares.

As Paul Holleran, the NUJ's Scottish organiser, stated, "This is a fat cat dispute." This attack on wages and conditions is only the latest in a series from the company designed to maximise profits. The union members are determined to win this dispute.

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