MEDIA group Johnston Press has been forced into a climb down over planned redundancies after a trade union threatened strike action.
National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members at the titles, which include the News Letter and Derry Journal, had called for industrial action over possible job losses and pay conditions.
It is understood Johnston Press is seeking around 13 redundancies across the group in the north.
The number of reporters at Johnston Press across the UK has more than halved since 2009, down from 2,222 to around 1,000, while production staff numbers have plummeted from 1,029 to 355.
At the Johnston-owned Morton Newspapers in Northern Ireland alone, journalist numbers are down from 100 to about 45.
But plans to walk out over the issue have been cancelled by trade unionists.
It is understood the company has agreed to pay any workers made redundant the equivalent of two-weeks of pay for each year of service, capped at 20 years or £30,000.
And in what appears to be a major concession to the NUJ, they will also receive an additional £5,000 lump sum regardless of service.
A pay deal was also struck that will see staff across all Johnston Press papers in the north receive a 2 per cent increase.
The union's Irish organiser Nicola Coleman said the "brilliant result" was only possible because NUJ members were "united and prepared to take action".
"This unity is unprecedented," she said.
"It shows the value of trade union membership and organisation."
Edinburgh-based Johnston Press group, which this week took up ownership of the i newspaper, saw a rise in adjusted pre-tax profit last year, despite falling sales.
Profit increased by 22.6 per cent to £31.5m, while revenues were down 6.8 per cent to £242.3m. Its total operating costs were cut by 6.7 per cent to £191.7m.
It has also categorised its titles with those in the bottom tier including the Carrick Times, Ballymena Times, Ballymoney Times, Banbridge Leader, Belfast Vibe, Londonderry Sentinel and Tyrone Times, which between them employ more than 30 editorial, advertising and administrative staff, and which are seen as vulnerable to closure.
The News Letter is effectively ring-fenced from a possible sale because it is in the elite grouping, but in the ‘core’ category of 74 newspapers are the Larne Times, Portadown Times, Derry Journal, Lurgan Mail, Mid-Ulster Mail and Ulster Star.
