UNION DERECOGNITION AT MIDLAND NEWSPAPERS

That this House condemns the decision of Midland Newspapers, owned by Reed International, announced on Wednesday 12th February, to derecognise the print union GPMU and the National Union of Journalists at the Birmingham Metro News, Worcester Evening News, Hereford Times, Redditch Advertiser, Bromsgrove Advertiser, Stourbridge News, Dudley News, Halesowen News, Wolverhampton Adnews, Chase Post, Worcester Journal, Malvern Gazette, Evesham Journal, Ledbury Reporter, Alcester Chronicle, Droitwich Advertiser, Cotswold Journal, Ludlow Advertiser, Tenbury Wells Advertiser, Evesham Admag and Stratford Journal; is dismayed at management's insistence that there be no collective bargaining over pay, and that working hours could be arbitrarily altered; recognises that this is but the latest attack on unions in the print industry and is a clear withdrawal of human rights; and fully supports the campaign of the NUJ to encourage fellow trades unionists to tell the company they no longer want these papers, most of which are free, delivered.