National World journalists in Northern Ireland joins strike action

National World journalists in Northern Ireland have joined a UK-wide strike over pay.

More than 330 journalists at titles across the UK and Ireland, including staff at the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post, took part in the industrial action.

In Northern Ireland, journalists with the Belfast News Letter newspaper joined colleagues in the first ever company-wide walkout.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said National World staff want the company to reflect on a 4.5% pay offer made in July, and instead offer "a pay package that reflects journalists' hard work at the company."

The union said it has previously engaged with the publisher through negotiations with Acas, attempting to reach an agreement that resolves the dispute.

They said National World's "refusal to accept proposals" has resulted in the strike action.

An NUJ National World group chapel spokesperson said the "real-terms pay cut imposed by the company simply doesn't do enough to recognise the hard work of our members or the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis."

"It also fails to address pay disparities and low rates of pay that mean some of our trainee reporters - many of whom completed degrees just to get a foot in the door - are now having to take on second jobs to make ends meet," they added.

Journalists started a work to rule on September 19, with further strike action planned on September 22 and 25.

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