Ireland on Sunday, the newspaper to be launched next week, is breaking the norm among Irish newspapers and will not have an agreement with the National Union of Journalists.
Yesterday the managing director of Title Media Ltd, the owner of Ireland on Sunday, Mr Ashley Balbirnie, said there would be no agreement with the NUJ. The company had no agreement with the union for journalists working for the Title newspaper "and we found that worked very well."
Most Irish newspapers either have or are negotiating a collective agreement with the union that represents over 95 per cent of journalists in this country.
The Star is the only one without an agreement, but is currently in talks and the NUJ is optimistic agreement will be reached.
The NUJ's Irish secretary, Mr Eoin Ronayne, has written to the management of the new newspaper seeking a meeting, but has received no reply.
Mr Ronayne said the union did not believe the particular contracts being offered were appropriate for people working a full working week for one employer.
The NUJ official said that to be employed on such a contract meant having no rights or protections under labour law.