Job Reductions At The Independent

EDM number 835 in 2008-09, proposed by John McDonnell on 23/02/2009.
Categorised under the topic of Press.

That this House notes with concern that in November 2008 the Independent and the Independent on Sunday proposed that 90 jobs, around 60 of them editorial, should be cut and that as a result up to 35 journalists working for the papers face compulsory redundancy; regrets the widespread demoralisation felt amongst staff regarding the lack of transparency and consultation regarding the relocation of the Independent to the Associated Newspapers building in Kensington and the lack of vision about how to take the papers and websites forward with a significantly reduced workforce; further notes that members of the National Union of Journalists at the Independent in London have voted by 90 per cent. to hold a ballot for industrial action over job cuts; re-affirms its commitment to quality journalism as an integral part of the United Kingdom's democracy and supports the decision by the journalists at the Independent to take part in the nationwide campaign led by the NUJ against the recent wave of media cutbacks which threaten the future of the sector; and therefore urges the Independent to reconsider its position and enter into a positive dialogue with the NUJ in order to solve the problems the newspaper faces.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.