Journalists at VICE UK set to strike
NUJ members at VICE UK will take part in strike action on 29th and 30th June over the company's failure to provide fair redundancy terms.
Members are taking industrial action in protest at the company's offer to those staff made redundant as a result of financial difficulties at VICE. The offer of £2000 and statutory redundancy pay comes at a time when VICE has paid executives, including former chief executive officer Nancy Dubuc, up to $1.5 million a year in salary.
The union has urged the publisher to consider the financial impact of the package on staff and has been engaged in discussions with management, seeking fewer redundancies and an increased pay offer.
The industry is currently experiencing alarmingly low rates of work in the unscripted industry. As a result, those facing redundancy will soon be entering an already saturated job market at a time of even greater scarcity. Many staff members have given the best parts of their careers to VICE and have produced work that has built the company's name and value. The chapel said "we believe it is VICE’s moral obligation to give those at risk the redundancy pay that they deserve, at a time of great uncertainty.”
Results from an NUJ industrial action ballot revealed members are in favour of taking strike action as they urge the company to rethink its current position. Strike action by VICE UK journalists will commence at 10:00 on Thursday 29th June until 18:30 on Friday 30th June.
Mostafa Rajaai, NUJ organiser, said:
“Our members should not be the ones paying for the mistakes and mismanagement of those at the top, getting paid six and seven figure salaries. We will do all in our power to get a deal worthy of our members.”