Archant has imposed a 2.5 per cent salary increase on journalists at the East Anglian Daily Times following a three-month pay dispute, according to the NUJ.
The Times chapel was the only Archant chapel not to accept the below-inflation offer, having gained union recognition for the first time.
It instead submitted a claim for a 5.6 per cent rise, saying this was needed to make up for a shortfall in rises received over the past four years.
Father of Chapel Martin Chambers said: ‘We are exceedingly disappointed at such a meagre rise, which is below inflation and is leading to our members’ living standards falling again.
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‘According to the union, 2.5 per cent is the lowest offer in the country.”
The chapel is due to meet to discuss what further action can be taken.
Daily Times editor Terry Hunt said: ‘We are implementing a bonus scheme for individuals, based on visitor numbers to our websites, which have been growing quickly in the past year. The NUJ rejected the offer of a bonus scheme which would have paid up to an average of one per cent salary for all editorial staff.
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‘According to the latest Newspaper Society pay survey, our editorial salaries at Archant Suffolk are in the upper quartile of the industry’s pay rates. In addition, we operate a generous profit-sharing scheme.”
Archant management was unavailable for comment.
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