Enough is enough: Striking journalists lambaste Herald for racist story

HALIFAX — It’s time for The Chronicle Herald to put real journalists forced onto the street in a defensive strike back to work.

A story published in the Weekend edition, written by an anonymous reporter and quoting two anonymous sources, incites hatred and promotes discrimination against Muslims and refugees.

The article, citing allegations of choking and bullying by refugee elementary students presumably against non-refugees, was later changed in TheChronicleHerald.ca online version and eventually removed altogether. But the print version of the article retains a place in perpetuity in the province’s newspaper of record.

Before it was removed, the online version of the story was picked up by ultra-conservative and reactionary websites in Canada and the United States to promote intolerance and bigotry. A lasting legacy for a once-proud newspaper.

The story of unsubstantiated bullying by refugees is the latest in a succession of errors and gaffes in the Herald during the 11-week strike by nearly 60 newsroom reporters, photographers, editors and support staff.

This article emphasizes the need for real journalists to write, edit and photograph accurately the real stories that are important to Nova Scotians.

Herald CEO Mark Lever referred to editors as “backroom clerical workers” in an open letter to newspaper readers several weeks ago. Later, the Herald targeted 18 newsroom employees for layoff, more than half of whom are editors. The refugee bullying account would have benefited from the expert editing skills of those “backroom clerical workers” targeted for layoff.

Job security is a major issue for striking newsroom workers. The Chronicle Herald wants to change existing contract language to allow the company to lay off without regard for seniority, choosing instead to rely on a criterion of skills and ability arbitrarily decided by Herald management.

The anonymous writer of the refugee bullying story was presumably hired as a replacement worker. The editor who worked on the story was put in place by Herald management. Both were hired and assigned according to the skills and abilities that management deems appropriate for the job. Can we really rely on that same management team to decide who has the best skills and abilities to do a job should a contractual seniority provision be abandoned?

The refugee bullying article drives home the points that we striking newsroom workers have been accentuating for more than 11 weeks. Unsubstantiated drivel does not a news story make. Neither do alleged skills and abilities make a journalist.

Accuracy, integrity and accountability are three irreplaceable tools for the professional journalist. The accuracy, integrity and accountability of striking newsroom workers would have prevented the hurtful refugee bullying story from ever being written and published.

For information, please contact:
Ingrid Bulmer, president, Halifax Typographical Union, 902-210-3465
Frank Campbell, HTU vice-president, 902-883-9048