Journalists at the Irish Examinerand Evening Echonewspapers have formally served strike notice on management of the newspapers.
The industrial action will commence on Monday, December 15th, following a decision by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) chapel at the newspapers today.
The action on the 15th will consist of a series of mandatory meetings calling workers away from their desks with a possible escalation in action to an all out strike.
The 180 journalists working at the newspapers are seeking an eight per cent pay increase over three years, dated from January 2003.
NUJ Irish Organiser Mr Des Fagan condemned management for failing to engage in meaningful negotiations with the union.
"It is very regrettable that our members have been left with no option but to pursue their claim for fair wages through industrial action." Mr Fagan said.
"The journalists in Cork and Dublin work for a national newspaper but receive little more — and in some cases less — than colleagues working in regional papers."
" Examinerand Echojournalists are angry and frustrated. Rates in this company are well below the national industrial wage and the situation will no longer be tolerated," Mr Fagan added.
Thomas Crosbie Holdings is the Examiner group's ultimate parent. According to the latest available figures, Examiner Publications' wage bill came to €17.27 million in 2001. In the same year, it made €5 million profit on €50 million turnover.
The dispute does not currently involve the group's other businesses, which include the Sunday Business Post.
