An independent title has backed journalists at a rival publisher as they contemplate a potential strike.

Business news publication Punchline Gloucester has lent its support to Reach plc journalists in Gloucestershire, who are set to be balloted on possible industrial action along with their colleagues across the country.

The vote will be held after the National Union of Journalists rejected a pay increase offer for Reach employees of 3pc or £750, whichever is more.

Members of the Reach NUJ group chapel will be balloted in the coming weeks.

In a report on the dispute, Punchline said in a statement: “Good journalists should be paid the correct amount. They do such a fundamental job.

“No matter what you think of your local regional press, good journalism should be supported and paid the right amount.”

Punchline also spoke to one anonymous Gloucestershire-based journalist, who said: “Many of us have been wondering whether we would get a pay rise and this is pretty abysmal, given the cost of living these days.

“I know times are tough in our industry, like many, but Reach needs to pay people properly if it wants to retain quality journalists.”

Reach runs a number of titles covering Gloucestershire including newspapers the Gloucester Citizen, Gloucestershire Echo and Western Daily Press, as well as website Gloucestershire Live.

A Reach spokesperson previously said: “Our people are vital to Reach’s continued success and we greatly value our relationships with our journalists.

“Our priority must be to protect jobs by ensuring the group has a sustainable future in the face of unprecedented newsprint cost inflation and an uncertain economic backdrop.”