Industrial action at The Lancet

Summary

That this House supports members of the National Union of Journalists taking strike action at the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, in a dispute which has seen members walk out for the first time in two hundred years over pay; believes that the rise of AI-generated research submissions makes the need for retaining qualified and experienced human workers to weed out slop and fabricated studies greater than ever; notes that the work of journalists at The Lancet Group, which comprises 29 monthly specialty titles and a weekly journal, plays an integral role in countering misinformation on public health and supporting medical research; further notes that the ownership group Elsevier reported an adjusted operating profit of £1.035 billion in 2025, which translates to a 7% underlying profit increase and a 38% profit margin, yet failed to bring forward a pay offer which addresses sustained low staff remuneration; and therefore calls on the employer to enter urgent pay negotiations to address the concerns of NUJ members.

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Timeline

1. 21 October 2026

   Early Day Motion

   That this House supports members of the National Union of Journalists taking strike action at the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, in a dispute which has seen members walk out for the first time in two hundred years over pay; believes that the rise of AI-generated research submissions makes the need for retaining qualified and experienced human workers to weed out slop and fabricated studies greater than ever; notes that the work of journalists at The Lancet Group, which comprises 29 monthly specialty titles and a weekly journal, plays an integral role in countering misinformation on public health and supporting medical research; further notes that the ownership group Elsevier reported an adjusted operating profit of £1.035 billion in 2025, which translates to a 7% underlying profit increase and a 38% profit margin, yet failed to bring forward a pay offer which addresses sustained low staff remuneration; and therefore calls on the employer to enter urgent pay negotiations to address the concerns of NUJ members.

   Source: Early Day Motion

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Sponsors

• John McDonnell · Labour · Primary sponsor

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