UK journalists vote to strike next week

The 48-hour stoppage by members of the National Union of Journalists will be on Thursday 9 February and Friday 10 February. It will coincide with the group’s 2011 full year and Q4 earnings announcement due next Thursday.

There was 83 per cent support among NUJ members for industrial action over the union’s disputes with Thomson Reuters arising from its 0.70 per cent pay increase across the board for 2011 and proposed 1.75 per cent this year.

“Thomson Reuters must shoulder the responsibility for this dispute,” said NUJ chapel officers Mike Roddy and Helen Long. “The company ignored repeated warnings that members had reached a tipping point, after years of below inflation pay rises, combined with rising costs, that are pricing many members out of their jobs. Those with families who cannot afford to live in London are especially feeling the pain as they are forced to commute into the capital on the most expensive train lines in Europe.

“We hope management will now listen to its journalists and return to the table with a sensible offer to avert a costly strike.”

NUJ deputy general secretary Barry Fitzpatrick said: “This strike is about fairness. The management is proposing a below-inflation pay deal, while holding back money for a merit scheme. This is just not on. While our members struggle to make ends meet on their wages, the management should be putting all the money into an across the board pay increase.” ■