The National Union of Journalists has criticised the body representing regional newspaper owners, after a decision it says will lead to the winding up of a pension scheme for journalists in the sector next week.
The NUJ has been involved in talks about the scheme with the employers' group, the Regional Newspaper Association of Ireland.
According to the union, the scheme covers most regional newspaper journalists, and its trustee had been seeking an increase in the employers' contribution from 6.9% to 18.7%.
But the NUJ says the employers' group rejected this at a meeting last night. An RNAI spokesperson said an announcement would be made next week, but would not comment further.
NUJ Irish Secretary Seamus Dooley described the decision as 'unbridled greed' from a group which had made massive profits from the Celtic Tiger economy.
The NUJ says the RNAI turned down a request to postpone the decision pending a referral to the Labour Court o Labour Relations Commission.
Mr Dooley said the NUJ would be holding an emergency meeting on Monday at which all options, legal and industrial, would be considered.
It is understood the RNAI wants the pension scheme to change from a defined benefit scheme - which guarantees a certain level of payment - to a defined contribution scheme.
