More than 100 journalists at Newcastle Chronicle and Journal Ltd were today due to take strike action in a protest over pay.

National Union of Journalists members at the company, publishers of The Journal, Evening Chronicle, Sunday Sun and Herald & Post series, were due to stay away from work today in the first of two planned 24-hour strikes.

The company says it intends to publish as normal.

The action follows talks between NC&J and the union where, despite going to the conciliation service ACAS, no agreement was reached.

Members were due to picket the company’s Groat Market office and are also threatening to strike on Thursday, August 1, unless NC&J increases its offer following a four per cent pay demand by the union.

Originally, NC&J put forward a two per cent pay offer, and later also offered to further increase trainee wages and raise the minimums – offers which the union declined.

The union, which has more than 100 members among the 170-strong editorial workforce, says its members have had to take on additional work following recent redundancies.

NC&J father of chapel Will Mapplebeck said: “Regretfully, members feel that there is no further option than to strike.

“We’d like to see a better offer from the company that reflects the hard work that has been put in over the past 12 months – otherwise strikes will continue.”

NC&J said that outside of the pay award, a major benchmarking exercise for journalists had seen an additional £140,000 invested in editorial salaries and that the pay offer reflected the challenging times the media industry faced.

NC&J human resources director David Rowland said: “It is extremely regrettable that the National Union of Journalists has decided to take action.

“The company has made its final offer. Over the last couple of years we’ve made a significant investment in editorial pay and working conditions and it’s really disappointing that it seems to count for so little.

“Our intention is to publish as normal and we remain committed to seeking a swift conclusion to this issue.”

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