Three more dates for strike action over pay have been announced at the Coventry Telegraph and its sister weekly newspapers.

In addition to three days at the end of last week, and today and tomorrow, National Union of Journalists members have decided to walk out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday after rejecting a pay offer.

According to the union, the company made no change to the immediate offer, instead offering to bring forward a planned new pay structure from May 2006 to April 2006. But members felt that “promises for tomorrow” were not enough.

A spokesman for parent company Trinity Mirror said: “We are happy to talk at any time about potential solutions to this situation.

“However, as we have already indicated, having improved our offer several times since the start of the process, we are unable to go any further on pay increases.

“Once the threat of industrial action has been lifted, we will be keen to work with the NUJ on the design and implementation of a pay-for-competence structure for staff at Coventry.”

The union hoped the strikes were helping to draw attention to the fact that the company was making a huge profit – but paying its staff low wages.

E-mails of protest have been sent to chief executive Sly Bailey and advertisers have been contacted to make them aware of the situation.

NUJ members met local MPs Jim Cunningham and Geoffrey Robinson on Friday and are also planning to meet with MP Bob Ainsworth to see if they can help put pressure on the company.