One of the longest and costliest disputes in Scottish media history began exactly 10 years ago and the anniversary is a painful reminder for those involved.

One hundred and twenty workers at Aberdeen Journals walked out in protest at the proposed introduction of personal employment contracts in favour of collective union bargaining.

Eric Crockart reports on the anniversary of the dispute at Aberdeen Journals

Five days later, they were sacked from their jobs at the Press and Journal and the Evening Express in what became an acrimonious stand-off for managers and journalists.

For nearly a year, journalists mounted picket lines outside the company's offices in one of the most bitter industrial disputes in Scotland since the war.

The strike cost the National Union of Journalists around £1m, almost bankrupting the NUJ, and when it was finally resolved only a handful of the workers were given their jobs back.

Nevertheless, the fight was worthwhile, according to present NUJ General Secretary John Foster.

He said: "In England and Wales we had a continuing campaign of de-recognition, but in Scotland we stopped it.

More than 100 journalists went on strike

"The reason we stopped it was because of the Aberdeen dispute and the tenacity of our members. We should be forever grateful to them."

Sir Harry Conroy, NUJ General Secretary at the time of the dispute, who was later voted out of office following internal recriminations over the handling of the situation, does not look back on the strike with such fond memories.

He said: "In all honesty, we have to say it was a defeat. The union, following the strike, had to retreat, make people redundant and was obviously much weaker as far as taking on any other industrial disputes was concerned."

Last weekend, there was a reunion dinner in Aberdeen, attended by around 50 of the strikers, including the strike leader, Ian Campbell.

He remained certain the action taken by the workers was the correct decision, an opinion borne out, he said, by fellow journalists' comments.

Newspaper industry

Mr Campbell said: "Certainly a lot of people working on regional newspapers and Scottish newspapers have said that had we not taken the stance we did, then there would have been much more carnage throughout the newspaper industry than there was."

Aberdeen Journals did not come out favourably from the dispute. Up to 40 Scottish councils boycotted its publications and much public opinion turned against it.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds was also lost to it in advertising revenue during the strike.

Personal contracts were still introduced, however, and the NUJ has been unable to establish any type of footing within the company since then.

The fight was not fought in vain, though, according to workers who stood on the picket lines.

Mixed views about strike's outcome

One woman said: "It was a time when there was a lot of union-bashing going on. We had to stand up for ourselves.

"Most of the people here would say they took a stand, with dignity and on a matter of principle. I'm glad I was one of them."

Another worker said: "What it did was delay the onset of the de-unionisation of the industry, certainly in Scotland, for quite a few years, and I think we're now on our way back, as can be seen in many papers throughout the country."

No-one from Aberdeen Journals has commented on the tenth anniversary of the strike, but Alf Young, Deputy Editor of The Herald and media commentator, felt the long-term significance of the strike was, ultimately, quite small.

He said: "It cost the union about £1m. I don't know if the return they got on that was all that high."

Saddest aspects

One of the saddest aspects of the dispute was the rift between those who went out on strike and those who did not.

Gordon Argo was one of those who felt he had to continue working.

He said: "I have great respect for many of those who went on strike.

"They were professionals, they were good company and I enjoyed many social occasions with them.