Employees at ITV have rejected the organisation’s 2% pay increase offer for 2015 and will move to ballot for strike action.
The broadcasting organisation made the one-year pay increase of 2% effective from 1 January.
Employees that are members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) and Unite all voted in favour to ballot for strike action unless the offer by ITV is improved.
Members of the NUJ voted 85% in favour, members of BECTU voted 86% in favour and members of Unite voted 78% in favour of action.
Unions had argued that the pay offer was lower than expected with staff having helped ITV increase revenue by 8% for the first nine months of 2014, up to £1.8 billon.
In 2013, ITV agreed to a 2.75% pay increase for all employees earning £60,000 and below.
An ITV spokesperson said: “We believe that the offer we have made is a fair one, reflecting our current circumstances and is consistent with recent pay awards agreed across the media sector and in UK private sector business.
“We are obviously disappointed that the joint unions plan to take this course of action, however we are happy to keep lines of communication open.
“ITV continues to make good progress, but our focus on costs remains incredibly important across the business as we balance the need to continue to invest in growing the business, people and programming.
“We have made a one year pay increase of 2% effective from 1 January.
”For eligible employees earning £60,001 or above, unless covered by a collective agreement, the pay review process will be the same as last year, with any increases based on merit and subject to performance.
“Eligible employees will also receive the maximum £1,200 bonus and had an additional day’s holiday on 2 January.”
Sue Harris, national broadcasting officer at the NUJ, added: “This resounding yes vote to move to a strike ballot, unless the pay offer is improved, must be taken seriously by the ITV management.
“All three unions are standing shoulder to shoulder and are prepared to act unless its members get the increase they deserve.
“We are now prepared to go back to the negotiating table and hope the management will see sense and put a proper, decent offer forward and be as generous as they were with the deal given to ITV executives.”
