The journalists have already had 14 days of strike action

About 40 staff are on indefinite strike claiming they were promised that a pay-banding scheme would be introduced.

The scheme, which rewards staff for experience and extra skills, should have been agreed in April, unions said.

But Coventry Newspapers said its offer had been improved "several times" and the action would not affect production.

National Union of Journalists' spokeswoman Barbara Goulden said staff had already held 14 days of intermittent strikes.

'Willing to talk'

"We were told the pay-banding system would be agreed by April this year," she said.

"Now we have been told it will not be dealt with until May next year."

A spokeswoman for Coventry Newspapers said the company was willing to talk through any possible solutions.

"However, as we have already indicated, having improved our offer several times since the start of the process, we are unable to go any further on pay increases.

"Once the threat of industrial action has been lifted, we will be keen to work with the NUJ on the design and implementation of a pay-for-competence structure for staff," she said.

The strike is not affecting the paper's production, she added.

The Coventry Evening Telegraph has a circulation of 58,000.