Journalists at the Leeds-based Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post are to ballot on industrial action over pay and other issues.

Negotiations with Johnston Press regional management have been taking place since September, and conciliation service ACAS was called in when talks reached deadlock, but no deal has yet been agreed.

The joint chapel for the two papers submitted a claim for a wage increase of five per cent or £1,300, whichever is the greater.

It also requested one extra day’s holiday per year over the next five years, culminating in a sixth week’s annual holiday in five years time. It also sought an increase in mileage allowance.

Management proposed two alternative pay deals – a 2.75 per cent increase for all, or an increase of 2.8 per cent for staff on the higher grades and 2.5 per cent for those on the lower grades.

Peter Lazenby, Yorkshire Evening Post NUJ father of chapel, said: “The claim was drawn up in co-operation with other Johnston Press chapels, who submitted the same claim.

“The YP-YEP joint chapel is also seeking a change in the hours specified in some staff contracts. Around half the staff are contracted to work 37.5 hours a week, and the rest 35 hours.

“The joint chapel wants all contracts to specify 35 hours, which is the number of hours all staff actually work.

“The ACAS negotiations led to the revelation that the imposition of a 37.5 hour contract on new staff was a deliberate policy.

“As older staff who are contracted to work 35 hours leave, they are being replaced (if they are replaced) by staff on 37.5 hour contracts. This has led to suspicion that management’s long-term aim is to increase the length of shifts.”

No date has been set for the ballot, which will be held within the terms of Government employment legislation.

Other Johnston Press chapels are still involved in negotiations and Johnston Press chapels across England, Scotland and Ireland have formed a Group Chapel with the long-term aim of negotiating national minimum levels of pay across the whole group, but this is not recognised by the publisher.