National Union of Journalists members at the Bolton Evening News have voted in favour of strike action over changes to shift patterns at the paper.

Last month the Newsquest-owned paper began printing overnight, meaning that some staff would have to work up to 11pm.

The NUJ says any staff working after 9pm have been offered a late shift allowance of £10, but union members are calling for this to be “at least doubled”.

In a ballot, 74.4 per cent voted in favour of strike action – with 29 members in favour and ten against – and 33 voted in favour of action short of a strike, with six against.

Bolton and Bury NUJ father of chapel David Thomson told HoldtheFrontPage the union hoped to meet editor Steve Hughes when he returned from holiday next week, in an effort to avoid taking any action.

He said: “We have worked the new shifts as a gesture of goodwill.

“We now hope to resume negotiations and hopefully the result of the ballot has strengthened our hand in getting a better deal.”