JOURNALISTS at STV have called off the immediate threat of a strike over jobs cuts.
Members of the National Union of Journalists voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial strike action, it emerged yesterday.
However the union said there were “no immediate plans” for a strike after STV management said there would be no compulsory redundancies among editorial staff.
The ballot was called after STV announced in May that it planned to restructure its operation, with 34 jobs lost in news and a further 25 lost with the closure of its STV2 channel.
Launched in 2017, STV2 lost £800,000 in its first year, and suffered dreadful viewing figures.
The three-year strategy, designed to save £1m a year, followed the arrival of new STV chief executive Simon Pitts, who received a controversial £853,000 welcome package.
Mr Pitts recently told MSPs the changes were needed to guarantee the broadcaster’s future, admitting “hardly anyone” watched STV2, with just 1800 seeing its flagship 7pm news show.
He denied the changes were being done to prepare STV for sale to ITV.
The NUJ ballot showed 81 of the 99 individuals eligible to vote took part, and that 80 of the 81 backed industrial action - a result that remains active for six months.
An STV spokesperson said: “Our NUJ colleagues have confirmed to the company this afternoon that they will not be pursuing industrial action.
“We are making good progress through the ongoing consultation process as we work towards the implementation of our future plans for STV News.”
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