Journalists at South Yorkshire Newspapers, owned by the Edinburgh Johnstone Group, are taking strike action to raise the paltry wages paid to staff on a number of local titles throughout the South Yorkshire region.

The company which made a massive £150 million in pre-tax profit, and paid its chief executive £772,000, pays its journalists and photographers a pittance.

Graduates start on £13,000 a year – a drop from the £25,000 paid in 2005. Even the most experienced journalists earn only 60% of the national average wage. They have been offered a raise of just 2.75%.

Contact Johnston Press boss Tim Bowdler on tbowdler@johnstonepress.co.uk and the Mother of the Chapel Emma Roots at emroots@yahoo.co.uk.

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