Sometimes irony becomes so heavy that we can literally feel the bones in our back breaking.
The Mirror, Express and Star, usually the defenders of the neo liberal faith, have voted to go on strike. Apologies to the Mirror for bringing them in to this but their owners Reach are culpable.
Reach, which is the biggest commercial publisher in the UK with the national Mirror, Express and Star titles as well as a network of more than 100 regional news brands, including the Manchester Evening News and the Liverpool Echo, said its focus was on ensuring the group has a “sustainable future” and that it had contingency plans to minimise disruption in the event of a strike.
The 3% pay offer was rejected shortly after a Daily Mirror front page about fat cat pay that attacked five chief executives earning up to 86 times their average workers’ salaries. Press Gazette, the British media trade magazine, earlier this year found that Reach chief executive Jim Mullen was earning 104 times more than his median employee.
In total 79% of Reach’s eligible NUJ members voted in favour of strike action, while 88% voted in favour of action short of a strike.
However, many local journalists may struggle to picket their workplace as Reach has closed most of its regional newspaper offices. The shift to permanent working from home means staff face having to pick up extra heating costs this winter as prices rise.
What we have is a corporate media pumping out pro Tory and pro establishment propaganda to blind the masses now finding itself offering peanuts and consequently facing strike action. George Orwell would at least be raising a smirk.
Strike action is currently planned to take place all day on Friday 26 August and Wednesday 31 August, and for 48 hours on 14 and 15 September.
Why we shouldn’t read corporate media:
Join us in helping to bring reality and decency back by SUBSCRIBING to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ1Ll1ylCg8U19AhNl-NoTg
and SUPPORTING US where you can: Award Winning Independent Citizen Media Needs Your Help. PLEASE SUPPORT US FOR JUST £2 A MONTH https://dorseteye.com/donate/
