FT journalists in new strike threat over pay row

NUJ members at the Financial Times have voted for a three-hour strike on Thursday next week (March 22) over their pay dispute following a breakdown in talks with management.

The strike will go ahead if an agreement with management cannot be reached.

The FT's NUJ chapel has passed a "no confidence" motion in the senior management of the Financial Times "over its failure to ensure transparency in its dealings and for the contempt shown to staff throughout the pay negotiations."

Steve Bird, FoC, of the NUJ's FT Group Chapel, said: “By justifying vast salaries for FT executives and keeping a large part of the pay award back for 'star' employees, FT managers are undermining both the team that produces the newspaper and the principles and high standards on which the paper is based. I am immensely proud of the stand the chapel is taking which is as much about integrity and fairness as it is about a cut-price pay offer.”

FT management issued a statement after the group chapel first voted for industrial action over the pay dispute. It said: "We view the vote for industrial action and the risk of disruption unwarranted and unreasonable. The Financial Times has continued to invest in its editorial operations because we strongly believe that quality journalism is at the heart of our global success.

"The proposed salary increase of 3.5 per cent - with 2-2.5 per cent for all editorial staff and 1 per cent for merit, plus a bonus, compares favourably with the rest of the industry and we have avoided any compulsory redundancies at a time when news organisations around the world are facing exceptional challenges."