Industrial action ballot over nine-day fortnight

The National Union of Journalists is holding a ballot after rejecting the company's offer of £1,000 in compensation for the loss of the nine-day fortnight as "risible" and "totally inadequate". The union says former TFN staff have vowed to continue working their  current hours, despite threats of disciplinary action.

The dispute over working hours is part of a wider argument over pay that has been brewing for months, The Guardian reported. The company's latest offer is a 1.25% rise in annual pay across the board, which the union has criticised as below inflation.

Barry Fitzpatrick, the NUJ's head of publishing, said TFN members regarded the nine-day fortnight as an essential benefit given the low pay rise and the fact that their colleagues from the Reuters side of the business were better paid.

"Many former TFN staff are paid significantly less than Reuters' colleagues for doing the same work, and in a lot of cases paid not much more than a Reuters trainee's starting salary," Fitzpatrick said.

"If the company is serious about harmonisation, it should properly consider its journalists' claim for compensation, which, given the company's massive profits, is more than affordable even in these difficult times."

A Thomson Reuters spokeswoman said: "We regret that the NUJ has decided to take this course of action, particularly in light of the concerted and prolonged efforts made by the company to resolve matters amicably. We delayed implementation of the changes to work, employed favourable enhancements to terms and conditions and proposed a financial offer, which has been flatly rejected by the NUJ." ■