vrijdag, november 19, 2004
Staking dreigt bij Reuters Londen
Staffers in Reuters' London office have voted overwhelmingly in favor of strike action to protest the news agency's proposed budget cuts and job losses.
The vote is not the formal mandate for a strike required by law, but signals that the unionized workers are not going to accept the company's reorganization plan without a fight.
Earlier this month, Reuters' management said that it wanted to base its photo and graphics operations out of Singapore, a move that angered union officials and much of the company's rank-and-file. Critics say the move will put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
"Local knowledge is a key to coverage and wiping out that knowledge to base an editing desk 12,000 miles away makes no sense," says one photo staffer in D.C. "There's a lot technology can do, but replacing local knowledge is not one of them."
Reuters is currently in the midst of a three-year "Fast Forward" program to find efficiencies and reduce staff from 15,500 to about 13,000. According to The Guardian newspaper in London, union officials believe as many as 250 editorial jobs could be affected by the most recent reorganization. Thirty-five jobs from Reuters' London office have already been moved to Singapore and Toronto, according to the paper, but management contends the cuts will only affect 10 jobs worldwide.
Bron: PDN.
The vote is not the formal mandate for a strike required by law, but signals that the unionized workers are not going to accept the company's reorganization plan without a fight.
Earlier this month, Reuters' management said that it wanted to base its photo and graphics operations out of Singapore, a move that angered union officials and much of the company's rank-and-file. Critics say the move will put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
"Local knowledge is a key to coverage and wiping out that knowledge to base an editing desk 12,000 miles away makes no sense," says one photo staffer in D.C. "There's a lot technology can do, but replacing local knowledge is not one of them."
Reuters is currently in the midst of a three-year "Fast Forward" program to find efficiencies and reduce staff from 15,500 to about 13,000. According to The Guardian newspaper in London, union officials believe as many as 250 editorial jobs could be affected by the most recent reorganization. Thirty-five jobs from Reuters' London office have already been moved to Singapore and Toronto, according to the paper, but management contends the cuts will only affect 10 jobs worldwide.
Bron: PDN.
# posted by Jan-Edward : 01:57
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