BOSSES at a Yorkshire newspaper backed down yesterday over plans to make a trade union activist redundant after hundreds backed a campaign in his support.

A planned strike by journalists at the Rotherham Advertiser in South Yorkshire today was called off after news of the victory broke.

New bosses at the paper selected National Union of Journalists (NUJ) representative Phil Turner for compulsory redundancy — the only victim out of 15 editorial staff.

Mr Turner has worked as a reporter for the paper for 30 years and is a respected trade union activist.

His NUJ colleagues demanded the redundancy be withdrawn and voted for a 24-hour strike.

Their campaign was supported nationwide, and 250 trade unionists marched through Rotherham on Saturday in a show of solidarity.

Management caved in and withdrew the redundancy yesterday.

Mr Turner said: “I am truly grateful for all the support and solidarity that has been shown to both me and the chapel (office union branch).

“It has been a difficult time, but this fortified me and helped us come to a proper conclusion. I am sure that all this support was crucial in bringing about this outcome.”

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet added: “I am delighted that management has come to this decision. The huge groundswell of support for Phil from the local community and wider trade union movement is a testament to the concern people had at a union rep being seemingly singled out.”

She praised Rotherham Advertiser readers for their “loyalty” to local journalists and their newspaper.