Journalists walk out of Fairfax newspapers

Industrial action is under way at 13 Fairfax-owned newspapers in Auckland and Wellington.

About 75 journalists and circulation workers at community newspapers in Auckland and Wellington are taking the action after rejecting the company's 3.5 per cent pay offer.

Union members are picketing the Suburban Newspapers headquarters in Auckland, while workers at the chain's Wellington community newspapers are into their second day of strike action.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Andrew Little said the 3.5 per cent pay offer for all workers was not good enough.

"These workers are seeking a five per cent pay rise, which is entirely reasonable in the current climate," he said.

"This is a company that can afford to pay its new chief executive, David Kirk, $1.5 million just to sign the contract, so surely it can afford to pay its staff a decent pay rise."

About 75 workers from the North Shore Times, Central Leader, Western Leader, Manukau Courier, Papakura Courier, East and Bays Courier, Eastern Courier, Norwest News Brief and the North Harbour News in Auckland, and the Hutt News, Upper Hutt Leader, Kapi-Mana News and Kapiti Observer in Wellington are involved in the action.

Mr Little said that it was likely that negotiations would resume at the Wellington papers today.

Fairfax NZ's chief operating officer, Peter O'Hara, said negotiations would continue in Wellington and Auckland, and the company believed the offer made was reasonable.

"Negotiations are a matter for local managers and employees, and we feel the offers made are fair in the current economic climate," he said.

- NZPA