A pay dispute at the Southern Daily Echo – which saw more than 40 journalists stage a two-day walkout – has ended with a deal being struck.

Management at the Newsquest title met union representatives and ACAS last week, and National Union of Journalists members at the Echo have now unanimously agreed to accept the company’s offer.

All journalists will receive an across the board annual pay rise of £600, pro rata for part-time staff, backdated to July 1.

In addition, new grading payments – which had previously been included in annual inflation pay rises – will be dealt with separately.

The NUJ says the company’s previous offer was an overall increase of 2.5 per cent, which included a flat rate of £550 for every journalist, plus increases to the pay bandings.

But Echo editor-in-chief Ian Murray said the offer of a £600 across the board pay rise had always been on the table.

He said: “I am delighted that we have now reached a conclusion and that we can move forward.”

According to the union, it had been agreed last year that the pay rise would be a flat rate rather than a percentage, to allow the gap between the lower earners and the higher earners to be reduced.

Sally Churchward, spokesperson for the Echo NUJ chapel, said: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement that everyone is happy with so that we can now move on.”

Before agreeing to go to ACAS, NUJ members at the Southampton-based paper had held two days of strike action on October 25 and 26.