About 65 editorial and print distribution staff who are members of the E tū union walked off the job yesterday and called for wages to be brought into line with industry pay rates.
Print distribution workers started their 24-hour strike at 5pm, joining more than 40 editorial staff who began their 24 hours of strike action at 9am.
Allied Press publishes the Otago Daily Times and a series of South Island community newspapers and runs a regional television station.
Allied Press chief executive Grant McKenzie said the strike action was disappointing after an offer was made to the union the previous day "that we believe addressed their issues".
"We have also offered to meet with the union and the delegates this week," Mr McKenzie said.
"We acknowledge there is high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, which is why we think our offer is fair."
ODT delegate and journalist Rebecca Fox said members' pay rises for the past 15 years had fallen behind inflation, as well as what other people in the industry were earning.
The ODT and the broader media industry had it tough at the moment, but this could not be an excuse for "unliveable" wages, she said.
Allied Press journalists had also been struggling for years with a lack of training and resources, and this added to their feeling of being under-appreciated, she said.
Mr McKenzie said editorial staff were a key part of the Allied Press operation and did a great job. The latest offer would grant union members "an effective average increase of grade increases and increases in printed rates of over 9%".
Union organiser Gwyn Stevenson said it would provide a $3000 flat-rate increase.
"According to our calculations, that works out to about 3% for most members, and no more than 6% for the very lowest paid."
Grade increases were not guaranteed and not part of the bargaining, he said.
Union organiser Ann Galloway said members were "fed up with waiting on their employer to give them a decent pay rise".
"Members are prepared to keep fighting until they receive an offer that they can accept."
Mr McKenzie said staff were pitching in with production of publications, "but there may be some delays with a few of our community titles".
