A national campaign for improved journalists' pay is making good progress, according to The National Union of Journalists.

The union last month launched a bid for a six per cent rise for all journalists at newspapers published by Newsquest for each of the next two years.

And it has welcomed "constructive" talks which it says have now begun at some Newsquest centres.

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: "There are some talks going on in different areas which are encouraging. Many local managers and editors recognise there is a real problem of low pay and they want to address it."

The union says it has also received the backing of the public in areas where Newsquest tiles are published, with 5,000 people signing petitions backing the union's claim since it launched the Fair Pay Now campaign.

Jeremy said: "We very much welcome the public support for our campaign. It is clear members of the public agree with us that Newsquest's journalists are undervalued and underpaid.

"In the coming weeks we will be taking that message to community groups, MPs, councillors, colleges and back out on to the streets to drive home the message that professional people deserve professional pay."

The union's new proposals demand that a newly-qualified senior on a daily paper earns a starting salary of £20,000 by July 2005, rising to £21,000 after 12 months. A specialist reporter would get £23,000 under the NUJ plans.