'Herald' journalists in Sunday paper dispute

An industrial issue involving some New Zealand Herald journalists will not affect the launch of a new Sunday newspaper on October 3.

Talks to resolve the matter, involving a refusal by Herald journalists who are members of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union to work for the Herald on Sunday, were held between the union and management of the new paper yesterday.

Further talks are scheduled next week.

Fewer than half the editorial staff of the Herald are members of the union. Other staff are not involved in the dispute.

The union said yesterday that its members had voted overwhelmingly not to do work for the Sunday newspaper until colleagues hired for the new newspaper had achieved the right to bargain collectively.

The chief executive of APN New Zealand National Publishing, Ken Steinke, responded, saying APN (publisher of the Herald and its new stable-mate) had "followed its industrial obligations with its employees at all times".

"We will discuss any issues regarding the sharing of editorial with the new Sunday paper with union representatives of those journalists concerned," he said.

The Herald on Sunday has recruited 35 new editorial staff and is aiming for a complement of 40 by the time it launches.