Pay troubles at ITV

Unions are pressing ITV giants Carlton and Granada to end a pay freeze.

A meeting of BECTU, NUJ, and Amicus representatives on July 2 backed a call for both companies to increase pay after a six-month embargo on rises.

At Granada, where a scheduled pay rise was shelved in January because of falling advertising income, a consultative ballot of union members has prompted a company offer of 3% from October.

If accepted, the offer would include an interim increase of 2% from July, with the remaining 1% taking effect in October.

Unions plan to ballot members on the offer once the company has clarified its postion on lower-paid staff - a demand for a minimum £13,000 salary was part of the original union pay claim.

Negotiators expect to run an industrial action ballot if the offer is turned down by members.

Members working for Carlton have been waiting for an increase since last October, when they should have received an annual rise.

A consultative ballot run by the unions was overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action if the freeze continued, and management have been asked to reconsider their decision to make no offer.

Failure to table an offer could lead to strike action at Carlton.