Les Echos Staff Go on Strike
Staff at French business daily Les Echos' editor-in-chief have gone on strike following the resignation of the editor-in-chief, Erik Izraelewicz. By Katie Allen
Staff at French business daily Les Echos' editor-in-chief have gone on strike following the resignation of the editor-in-chief, Erik Izraelewicz, say trade unions.
His departure follows the paper's recent sale by Financial Times publisher Pearson to LVMH, the luxury goods company controlled by multi billionaire Bernard Arnault.
Les Echos' editorial union and the Society of Journalists said in a statement last night that it regretted Erik Izraelewicz's decision to leave the paper, which was offloaded by Pearson late last year for €240m (£167m).
The unions have gone on strike today to protest his resignation.
"We think that LVMH and the new management of Les Echos did not allow Erik Izraelewicz to carry out his job as editor-in-chief with total independence," said Antoine Boudet, the representative from the Journalists' Union.
The union statement pointed out that LVMH, as new owners, have agreed that any new editorial appointments would be subject to a majority approval of the paper's senior editors.
"The union delegates of the Society of Journalists will be extremely vigilant on this point," the statement said.
It added that staff had voted overwhelmingly in favor of not publishing the newspaper on Wednesday and to stop production of the paper's website.
Staff and unions at Les Echos had fiercely opposed last year's sale to LVMH, arguing that there were inadequate guarantees of editorial independence and Arnault's ownership would create conflicts of interest for the paper because of his other industrial and commercial activities.
Staff walked out on several occasions over Pearson's plans.
Pearson said when the deal was drawn up in July that it ensured there would be no job losses for three years and collective agreements would be maintained for at least five years.
In pledges similar to those made by Rupert Murdoch during his successful bid for the Wall Street Journal, Pearson said there would be a supervisory board including three independent members and the editor-in-chief.
LVMH declined to comment last night.
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His departure follows the paper's recent sale by Financial Times publisher Pearson to LVMH, the luxury goods company controlled by multi billionaire Bernard Arnault.
Les Echos' editorial union and the Society of Journalists said in a statement last night that it regretted Erik Izraelewicz's decision to leave the paper, which was offloaded by Pearson late last year for €240m (£167m).
The unions have gone on strike today to protest his resignation.
"We think that LVMH and the new management of Les Echos did not allow Erik Izraelewicz to carry out his job as editor-in-chief with total independence," said Antoine Boudet, the representative from the Journalists' Union.
The union statement pointed out that LVMH, as new owners, have agreed that any new editorial appointments would be subject to a majority approval of the paper's senior editors.
"The union delegates of the Society of Journalists will be extremely vigilant on this point," the statement said.
It added that staff had voted overwhelmingly in favor of not publishing the newspaper on Wednesday and to stop production of the paper's website.
Staff and unions at Les Echos had fiercely opposed last year's sale to LVMH, arguing that there were inadequate guarantees of editorial independence and Arnault's ownership would create conflicts of interest for the paper because of his other industrial and commercial activities.
Staff walked out on several occasions over Pearson's plans.
Pearson said when the deal was drawn up in July that it ensured there would be no job losses for three years and collective agreements would be maintained for at least five years.
In pledges similar to those made by Rupert Murdoch during his successful bid for the Wall Street Journal, Pearson said there would be a supervisory board including three independent members and the editor-in-chief.
LVMH declined to comment last night.
· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 7239 9857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 7278 2332.
· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
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