Express Newspapers, publisher of ‘The Daily Express’, ‘Sunday Express’, ‘Daily Star’, and ‘Sunday Star’, plan to axe 94 staff in a drive to reduce costs. The cuts by management consist of; up to nine people from the Glasgow office, five district reporters, six from features, up to five staff photographers and a further nine from the sub-editing operations across the four papers.
Last year, Express Newspapers were looking to cut more than 80 staff and casual journalists, mainly from the sub-ed departments of the ‘Daily Express’ and ‘Sunday Express’, as part of cost cutting measures.
The latest management move to reduce staff numbers has caused anger amongst staff. More than 150 members of the National Union of Journalists chapels at Express Newspapers attended an emergency meeting yesterday where they unanimously passed a resolution condemning proprietor Richard Desmond’s “greed-driven plans to slash jobs across all the titles and endanger their future”.
The resolution said: “This chapel demands Richard Desmond use his vast personal fortune to ride out the current recession rather than force his staff to make further sacrifices: “Alternatively, this chapel calls on Richard Desmond to sell the titles to a proprietor who will restore them to their former status.”
Union members also demanded a health and safety check, to address claims that their workplace was overcrowded, dirty and home to mice.
Since Richard Desmond bought Express Newspapers for £125m in 2000 he has paid himself up to £46m a year.
In ordinary circumstances journalists should get all the support available but unfortunately this is not the case.
The EN group was, and still are, more than happy to print smear stories against The British National Party, including one that says Jews are not allowed to join the BNP, we have a Jewish councillor, and members who are Jewish.
The day after our chairman Nick Griffin was pelted with eggs outside the House of Commons the ‘Daily Star’ invited readers to buy a ‘Pukka’ pie to be thrown at Mr Griffin and other BNP members.
Therefore, they deserve no sympathy until they start to treat The British Ntional Party fairly, and write stories based on fact and not lies and spin.
GIUSEPPE DE SANTIS
