Mirror and Express staff could strike this week as pay talks fail

theguardian.com:

Journalists at newspapers including the Daily Mirror and Daily Express could go on strike this Wednesday, after talks with the publisher, Reach, over the weekend failed to resolve a stalemate over pay.

Reach journalists last week called off a strike at the 11th hour, averting a strike scheduled for Friday, after the company asked for further negotiations.

But weekend discussions between the newspaper group and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) made no progress, ending with the company resisting the union’s demand for an improved pay settlement.

A Reach spokesperson said: “Over the weekend we have been in discussions with the NUJ in hope of avoiding industrial action, but unfortunately these talks have ended without agreement.

“We were able to meet the majority of requirements put forward by the NUJ and proposed an accelerated career development framework that would have set out clearer salary progression for journalists, so we are disappointed that our offer was rejected.

“We remain open to talks at any time to resolve this dispute and to begin to deliver these substantial improvements for our journalists.

“Our priority continues to be to protect the interests of all our colleagues and stakeholders, ensuring the group has a sustainable future in the face of an uncertain economic backdrop.”

A strike planned for last Friday was postponed after the NUJ agreed to enter into immediate negotiations with Reach, which also publishes the Daily Star, Daily Record, South Wales Echo, Manchester Evening News and a host of other regional titles.

The talks were overseen by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

The union had said the decision to postpone the one-day strike was agreed by Reach chapel representatives from