Newspaper production workers begin strike over pay freeze

Printing and production workers at two Scottish newspapers have begun the first in a series of strikes over pay.

Staff at the Glasgow Herald and the Evening Times walked out at 08:00 BST today (May 6th) after the owners of both titles, Newsquest, enforced a pay freeze for the second successive year.

Over 140 members of the trade union Unite are taking part in the strike action and the workers representatives are hoping that the parent company returns to negotiations with “a sensible offer”.

Deliberations between the two parties have ensued for months with Newsquest unwilling to move over salary.

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Unite’s regional officer Norman King remarked that members are upset at being forced to accept such as deal from their bosses, despite the titles posting profits.

He admitted that workers did not want to have to take action, but felt they were left with no choice after the response from management.

The 24-hour stoppage will affect the titles’ ability to report exit polls and results from the general election, with the earliest results across the UK expected within an hour of the voting finishing.

By Ross George