Press Strikes Again
Day staff at The Press in Christchurch have walked out for the second day in a row.
Seventy-five editorial and production workers struck yesterday over the refusal by the paper's owner, Rupert Murdoch-controlled INL, to negotiate core conditions nationally.
Day staff returned to work this morning but decided to strike again. Evening and night workers will hold meetings later today to decide whether to prolong their action.
Staff at INL daily newspapers and Suburban Newspapers in Auckland are seeking a company-wide agreement for common conditions. Pay rates would be set locally.
The company has refused to discuss the workers' claims, a move which their union, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, says breaches the Employment Relations Act. A complaint by the union will be considered by the Employment Relations Authority on July 3 and 4 in Wellington.
Yesterday's strike at The Press delayed the paper's country edition by 40 minutes. Today's strike will compound effect's on tomorrow's paper.
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