Under the terms of a three-year agreement negotiated by the NUJ, editorial staff will get a 1.5 per cent pay increase at a time when many companies are trying to freeze pay levels.

The deal saw journalists at the Telegraph win a rise of two per cent last year.

A further increase of 2.5 per cent is due to be paid in 2010, although the exact rate paid in the final year may be open to negotiation depending on the rate of inflation at the time.

NUJ Head of Publishing, Barry Fitzpatrick, welcomed the new money for NUJ members: “Journalists on the Telegraph have produced headline breaking news and features against the background of an exceptionally tough climate. This pay increase recognises their efforts over the last 12 months. However, much work remains to be done to address issues such as stress and workload that are of great concern to our members."

NUJ Deputy General Secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, added: “The deal at the Telegraph just goes to show what a strong union can negotiate – even during a difficult economic period. I’d like to pay tribute to the union’s reps at the paper, both past and present, who have helped deliver this deal.

“I know that our members at the Telegraph are enormously grateful to their colleagues who, on top of their day job, take the time to support other journalists, negotiate with management and, just as importantly, build the union to ensure that we have the strength to deliver deals like this. A massive thank you for all their work.”

23 December 2009

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