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Wall Street Journal union calls for Selina Cheng to be restored to Hong Kong role after sacking

  • US-based group weighs in after reporter Selina Cheng says she was sacked for taking up leadership of Hong Kong’s largest press union

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The Hong Kong Journalists Association hold a press conference after the Wall Street Journal’s decision to sack Selina Cheng, chair of the union. Photo: Sam Tsang

The Wall Street Journal’s US-based union has urged the newspaper to restore reporter Selina Cheng to her role a day after she said she was sacked for taking up the leadership of the Hong Kong Journalists Association earlier this month.

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The Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees, which represents employees of The Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones, said on Thursday that it was “very sorry” to hear of Cheng’s dismissal.

“The union is always concerned when Dow Jones chooses to terminate the employment of colleagues, no matter where they are based,” said Jodi Green, the association’s president.

“[The association] calls on WSJ management to provide a full explanation for its decision to dismiss Selina and supports calls for Selina to be restored to her WSJ position.”

The union only represents employees in the US and Canada.

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Jon Schleuss, the president of NewsGuild, North America’s largest trade union of journalists, media workers and activists, also took to social media to call for Cheng to be reinstated in her role, saying: “It is absurd for WSJ to say employees should not be seen as advocating for press freedom.”

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