More than 1,000 journalists will go on strike later this month over pay at a regional publisher after voting overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

National Union of Journalists members at Reach plc have given their support to strike action and action short of a strike after being balloted on the issue.

Two strikes will now be held lasting 24 hours, on Friday 26 August and Wednesday 31 August respectively, as well as a two-day walkout on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 September.

A “work to rule” action will also take place from 1 September to 13 September.

The vote on potential action was called after talks between the union and Reach over a possible pay increase broke down last month, with the NUJ encouraging its members to vote yes to both strike action and to action short of strikes.

The union has now called on Reach to avoid “planned damaging walkouts by doing nothing” and renegotiate an offer, previously rejected by the NUJ, of 3pc or £750, whichever is more.

A total of 1,093 NUJ members at Reach were balloted, with 749 members out of 1,069 in the UK returning their ballot papers – a turnout of 70pc.

Of those to return their papers, 594, or 79pc, voted in favour of strike action and 657, or 88pc, in favour of action short of a strike.

NUJ Reach national coordinator Chris Morley, pictured, said: “Our members have delivered a powerful message to Reach chiefs with the results today of this landmark ballot.

“It is unprecedented in the company’s history that more than 1,000 of its journalists have been mandated to take strike action and other industrial action.

“The fact that such a strong outcome has been achieved in the face of significant postal issues and in the peak holiday season should tell the company how determined our members are to achieve a better deal on their pay.

“With this result, our members are clearly saying that the company – which gave its top two executives pay packages worth more than £7m – can, and must, do much better than a meagre 3pc/£750 minimum increase on already inadequate pay.”

Reach’s previous offer was rejected by the NUJ on the grounds that such a raise would not be enough to help journalists to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

A subsequent round of talks conducted through the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, in which Reach offered enhanced redundancy terms for some staff, failed to produce a settlement.

The publisher has since withdrawn the redundancy terms offer, aimed at journalists on Local World and Express & Star contracts, and claimed in a memo to staff a fortnight ago that any action would only cause “absolute minimum” disruption to their titles’ operations.

Chris added: “We very much hope that the company has the good grace and humility to recognise it made a mistake in making this poor offer against the backdrop of this cost-of-living turmoil. And rather than trigger the planned damaging walkouts by doing nothing, senior management are urged to now come forward with meaningful proposals to resolve the dispute.

“The NUJ is ready and willing to achieve a negotiated settlement. But for that to happen, the company will need to understand that our members are prepared to stand up and be counted and are not willing to merely accept the crumbs off the millionaires’ table.

“Our members earn very modest pay for the vital – but stressful – part they play in keeping the public informed around the clock. They know that a company that can make a £14m half-year dividend payment to shareholders next month can do more to make its journalists’ salaries more competitive.”

In a letter to staff, which has been seen by HTFP, Reach chief executive Jim Mullen has this afternoon reiterated the company’s position that its offer will not increase.

He said: “I know pay is an important issue to all of our people – now more so than ever – and that you may feel that the increase should have been more.

“We’ve taken a very considered and balanced approach in offering this year’s pay increase – one that its affordable and enables us to focus on building a sustainable future for our business, commercially and as an employer.

“Nevertheless we respect the very personal decisions of NUJ members. Unfortunately any industrial action will not change our position on pay.

“We remain open to discussions with the NUJ to try and find a way to resolve the dispute so those who have not yet received their salary increase can have it, together with back pay, as quickly as possible.

“Our focus now is supporting our colleagues, keeping disruption to a minimum and continuing to build a bright future for our business and its employees.”

A Reach spokesperson added: “We greatly value our journalists and are disappointed that, despite our best efforts during the negotiation process and successful agreements with Unite and the BAJ, we have been unable to reach an agreement with the NUJ.

“Whilst this is not the outcome we would have wished for, we remain focused on protecting the interests of all our colleagues, ensuring the group has a sustainable future in the face of an uncertain economic backdrop.

“We have contingency plans in place to keep disruption to our titles to a minimum and are working to support our journalists who choose not to take action.”