Thomson Reuters staff vote for industrial action

Members of the National Union of Journalists who used to work for Thomson Financial News took part in secret ballot, with 59 per cent of the 30 staff who took part in the ballot voting in favour of strike action and 83 per cent in favour of some form of industrial action.

Before the April 2008 merger, staff working for Thomson Financial News were on a nine-day fortnight. They are unhappy at a plan to introduce a 10-day fortnight.

"Our members at the previous Thomson's group had a nine-day fortnight as part of their contracts to recognise the stress of the job and the anti-social shift pattern," said the NUJ head of publishing, Barry Fitzpatrick. "They now play their part in making huge profits for an extraordinarily successful company."

NUJ members are understood to be meeting next week to plan their next move, The Guardian said.

A spokeswoman for Thomson Reuters said the planned rota change was part of a plan to create common working practices across the company.

"Reuters is deeply disappointed that a majority of former Thomson Financial News staff have voted for industrial action over changes to shift patterns in the London newsroom," the spokeswoman added.

"Given the challenges facing the industry and the innovative investments Reuters is making throughout the newsroom, the ballot will only prolong a dispute that is unnecessary and ill-considered and one which involves less than 10 per cent of the London newsroom staff." ■