Independent journalists to ballot for strike action

Journalists at the Independent and Independent on Sunday are to ballot for strike action next month in protest at pay and working conditions at the group's titles. Members of the National Union of Journalists said the paper's pay offer of 2%, beginning in January, was in effect a 1.2% rise because the pay award had been due in April this year. A motion passed by NUJ members today noted "management's offer of an annual rate of 1.2% – a real-terms pay cut – and the flat refusal to reward the efforts of staff in 2010". "The chapel puts on record its dismay and anger at the long hours across the papers and the poor working conditions," the motion added. Staff are understood to be concerned about issues including the extra workload placed on them since the Independent's 20p spin-off i launched in October. Last month the NUJ said it planned to lodge an official complaint with the management of the Alexander Lebedev-owned papers that the i launch was "recklessly" planned and executed. At the time, the NUJ's Independent chapel said it was "concerned about the extreme and unsustainable hours expected of some staff to produce i". "Members are clear that everyone fully supports the success of i. However, members explained that they are not prepared to put up with extreme hours becoming the norm." NUJ members will be balloted next month, given the option of a strike or action short of a strike. An earlier ballot this month was ruled out because of holidays and likely postal delays over the Christmas period. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".