Voice workers annoyed and unpaid?

williejoe

I see that the workers at the voice newspapers have still not been paid as promised. Saw this online a few minutes ago.


Closure of Voice Group newspapers in Cavan, Monaghan, Kildare and Tipperary

Workers at the former Voice Group newspapers which were closed down last week have said that the manner of the closure was "brutal and shocking" and that the payment of wages and expenses has not happened as promised.
One of the papers investors is millionaire charity organiser, Niall Mellon, who promised the workers a month's payment in a statement to The Irish Times business pages last Saturday.
Workers at the four titles: the Cavan, Monaghan, Kildare and Tipperary Voices, knew nothing of the pending closures until John Sheils, the company chairman and Eleanor Lahart, managing director respectively arrived at their offices to shut them down. The locks were changed on all premises after workers cleared their desks.
Chairman of the Voice Group, John Sheils signed a letter on the day of the closure of The Kildare Voice promising that workers would receive one month's salary in addition to all other monies owed by today (Wednesday, March 12). Managing Director of The Tipperary Voice Eleanor Lahart simultaneously signed a letter for staff in Clonmel, but no bank transfers have been made today, according to the workers.
Workers are furious at how the news of their sacking was communicated to them considering the "loyalty and commitment" they had shown over the past number of months. They say that in the case of the Kildare and Tipperary Voice titles, they requested that they be allowed to bring out a final edition of the paper and to "end this in a more dignified way", but were denied permission.

and the NUJ are annoyed as well.


NUJ Condemns Treatment of Voice Workers


The National Union of Journalists has strongly condemned treatment of workers at the Voice Newspapers in Cavan, Monaghan, Kildare and Tipperary and has demanded that the company honour commitments made to 40 workers when they were unilaterally made redundant on Friday last, 7 March 2008.

This morning the company guaranteed the NUJ that monies owed to staff would be paid tomorrow morning.

Last Friday 40 journalists and advertising sales staff were informed that there were to be made redundant. A specific commitment was made to pay one months salary in lieu of notice plus expenses and holiday pay by March 12th. It was clearly understood that this money would be lodged to the accounts of staff members by this morning, 12 March 2008. This morning distressed employees contacted the NUJ when the money did not appear in their accounts.

Assistant Organiser, Nicola Coleman, immediately made representations to the office of chief shareholder, Niall Mellon and was assured by a representative that the money would appear in accounts on 13 March 2008.

Irish Secretary, Séamus Dooley, said, "I understand that the company attributes the delay in payment to a banking error. This does not explain why no contact was made with staff and this appalling treatment is consistent with the disregard shown to a loyal group of workers by Mr Mellon and the management team at Voice Newspapers. There was no indication that jobs were at risk prior to the visit to the offices in Cavan, Monaghan, Kildare and Tipperary by Mr John Sheils, company Chairman, and Eleanor Lahart, Managing Director. Staff were given less than an hour to clear their desks before the arrival of locksmiths, called to change locks on the various premises. Staff in Kilkenny and Tipperary requested that they be allowed to publish a final edition of the newspapers but this request was denied by management who insisted on immediate closure."

Mr Dooley added, "Mr Mellon has a proud track record in supporting development aid and last year was awarded the title "Philanthropist of the Year International". It is regrettable that as principal shareholder he has not insisted on a greater degree of dignity for his own employees".

The NUJ will continue to press for union recognition and for proper wages and conditions in the remaining Voice Newspaper titles.

The treatment of Voice journalists, many of whom left long established posts to join the new venture, has been disgraceful.

kellyreilly

Williejoe, it doesn't seem anyone is going to take the bait.

This has already been discussed, namely by you

Your posts show you talk up GBFM and talk down the Voice.......

po0k

This relates to Galway how?

cmcd

kellyreilly wrote: »

Your posts show you talk up GBFM and talk down the Voice.......

Spot on kellyreilly. Let me see---
1. Connaught Tribune buys Galway bay fm
2. Connaught Tribune is a "pay" newspaper
3. The Voice is also a "pay" newspaper
4.Galway bay fm is talked up by williejoe
5.Connaught Tribune is also talked up by williejoe
6. But the Voice is talked down by williejoe

Now I am confused, is this "dark-ops" or "grey propaganda", or something else. Whatever it is it may backfire, because you see if I get pushed to far one way, I tend to rebel and take the opposite view, or buy the opposite paper, or listen to the opposite local radio station. :pac:

williejoe

What have you lot got against the trib. It is a fine institution run by some of the finest men in Galway, men who have given their lives to ensuring that the truth is told. If I stand up for that, so what. not a fly by night operation. Am I not entitled to my opinions.
Do I wish the voice goes. Yes, as it would make life easier for us if it disappeared. That would be another 70 papers we'd sell a week.

manonthestreet

"Finest men in Galway" Long live the Freemasons. Nudge, shuffle, special handshake. Three words. Grey, boring, outdated. Relics of auld decency.
The sales were decreasing before the voice came along. Leave it alone and let's hope those young people keep their jobs. They're not your problem and if you think they are, then that sums you up.:eek:

randylonghorn

williejoe wrote: »

What have you lot got against the trib.

Personally, nothing. Not a lot for it either, but I'm fairly neutral, or I was until these discussions started anyway.

williejoe wrote: »

It is a fine institution run by some of the finest men in Galway, men who have given their lives to ensuring that the truth is told.

Ah hold on now ... wouldn't a nice bit of solemn background music in the background have added greatly to that declaration of the Republic superiority of the Tribune and all the men who have given their lives to her?

williejoe wrote: »

Am I not entitled to my opinions.

Yes. But personally, if someone appears in Feb. 08 and has 8 posts ALL about Galway Bay FM and the competitive newspaper market in the city (with a very definite bias to his posts), I am far more inclined to listen with a bit of respect if he declares his interest.

"Hi, I work for the Trib, so I'm probably a bit biased, but I think ......... and yes, I am prepared to listen and discuss ..."

Fair enough, then I will listen to what you say, and treat it with respect, whether I agree or not.

Or "Hi, my daughter works in the Advertiser / Voice / Galway Bay FM" or "The guy who runs X is a friend of mine" ... whatever!!!

No-one is asking you to say "My name is X, and my phone number is Y" ... in fact, that would be an unwise thing to do on an internet forum. Just a broad declaration of which way the wind blows on your back is fine by me, and I will have much more respect for you and for your opinions.

Oh, and by the way, williejoe, in fairness to you, you are not the only one who has caused my cynical eyebrow to rise towards the ceiling in some recent threads on "media" in Galway, not by a long shot!

williejoe wrote: »

Do I wish the voice goes. Yes, as it would make life easier for us if it disappeared. That would be another 70 papers we'd sell a week.

Is that an (implicit) answer to my (implicit) question? It seems to be.

randylonghorn

manonthestreet wrote: »

"Finest men in Galway" Long live the Freemasons. Nudge, shuffle, special handshake. Three words. Grey, boring, outdated. Relics of auld decency.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Let's have a look at your post history, manonthestreet.

17 posts in threads to do with the Voice.
2 posts re: sentinel / western people circulation figures taking a tumble.
2 about Iradio102

21 out of 26 posts.

very media-savvy man on the street, tbh!

Sponge Bob

randylonghorn wrote: »

very media-savvy man on the street, tbh!

Half the Galway meeja will be on the street by this time next year the way things are going ....probably including poor williejoe

po0k

Same person.

Fey!

po0k wrote: »

Same person.

Hardly surprising. :eek:

Does he, by any chance, have one or two other identities currently residing in another media thread in the Galway City board? :rolleyes: