Strike action over pay was suspended before it began at Newsquest Kendal after an improved pay offer from the management paved the way for fresh talks.

National Union of Journalists members at the Westmorland Gazette, Lancaster and South Lakes Citizens and Westmorland Messenger, were due to stop work yesterday and today, in the first stage of a six-day walkout.

Despite an "unrealistic" demand from the union for a 9.5 per cent increase, the management have upped an offer of between 1.5 and 2 per cent offer to 2.5 per cent, which resulted in this week's stoppage being called off.

Talks are expected to take place before next week's proposed strike of the 27 NUJ members, who are among a 30-plus workforce.

Meanwhile at Newsquest's Bradford newspapers, talks are due to take place with the union next week as the union bids to win an improvement on a two per cent pay increase, where five more days of strike action are threatened, the next due on Monday and Tuesday.

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