NUJ members at both the daily and Sunday titles of the Express and Star turned out in force to back the union action, which saw dozens of people on picket lines and hundreds of messages of support from members of the public and other journalists.

Action today (04/04) followed refusal by the papers’ management to enter into meaningful negotiations on a fair pay deal for journalists. NUJ members have vowed to strike again next Friday if the company continues in its refusal to engage with the union.

It was the first full-day strike by journalists on a major national newspaper in 18 years. It is expected that the company will use large amounts of agency copy to fill Saturday’s papers.

The strike followed a refusal by management to engage in meaningful negotiations with the NUJ on pay. The company is attempting to force a three per cent pay rise on journalists, despite having increased its printers’ pay by 4.3 per cent. NUJ members working on the company’s papers say they are working under ever-greater pressures yet getting scant recognition for their efforts by management.

Union members on the picket lines carried placards with slogans designed to drive home their message, including: "3% is not OK!", referring to the celebrity magazine also owned by Express proprietor Richard Desmond, and "pay up RICHard".

For background on the strikes follow the links below.

4 April 2008