The National Union of Journalists plans to hand its notice of an intended strike ballot to Telegraph Group management within days.
At a meeting of the union's chapel today, staff reaffirmed their desire to hold a strike ballot over the group's 133 compulsory redundancies, tied to its move to integrated digital premises in Victoria.
Staff are also concerned that proposed new contracts for all staff, necessary because the company is changing its name to Telegraph Media Group, will erode their conditions.
The NUJ chapel will serve notice on management of a strike ballot within three days. The ballot will take 14 days and management needs a seven-day notice period before any strike action.
"There's a great deal of concern about the company's refusal to negotiate any contract changes," said the NUJ national newspapers organiser, Barry Fitzpatrick.
"We do not accept management's assurance that that there will only be a minority of people affected.
"They are being so evasive about the effects of the contract changes."
At an union meeting two weeks ago, NUJ members of the Telegraph staff voted by 91 votes to zero to hold a ballot over strike action.
Because more than 100 Telegraph staff are being made redundant, the Department of Trade and Industry is meant to be given 90 days' notice before making any job cuts.
The NUJ claims this means Telegraph management has to pay a further 90 days' notice to staff in addition to the standard three months' notice to which most are entitled.
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