Reach PLC hacks have voted to strike this month following a “meagre” 3% pay rise offer. Express, Mirror and Star journalists, as well as those from countless local news outlets, will walk out on Friday 26 August, Wednesday 31 August, and 48 hours from September 14^th to 15^th. They will also work only contracted hours from 1 to 13 September…

Reach offered staff a pay rise of either 3% or £750 minimum, which the National Union of Journalists said wasn’t enough, especially after last year’s 1% increase. A total of 79% of members voted for the strike action on a 70% turnout.

Ironically the NUJ’s local chapel representatives rejected the 3% pay offer by a ratio of four to one shortly after The Mirror published a front-page splash about chief executives earning up to 86 times their average workers’ salaries while trying to suppress staff wages.

Reach’s chief executive, Jim Mullen, earns £4 million, which according to the Press Gazette works out to 104 times as much as his median employee. Will millionaire socialist Kevin Maguire, on a six-figure salary – be joining the picket line? Guido has a feeling this is one strike the Government will be delighted to see…

On Monday Kevin Maguire tweeted a picture of an empty fruit and veg aisle at Sainsbury’s, writing ”Don’t want to alarm anybody but the panic buying’s started in my local Sainsbury’s.” Which could only have the opposite result to his stated intention.

The Kingston branch of Sainsbury’s near our Kev’s house in leafy Richmond Park does not have any shortages – as can be seen from the picture taken by a co-conspirator the following day on Tuesday. Maybe deliveries were held up, though Britain produces 60% of its own food and most of our vegetables, particularly potatoes. Certainly the potatoes should have been full. They could have sold out or been cleared out for fresh produce.

The narrative some in the media are trying to promote of Brexit Britain suffering shortages is contradicted by many people working in supply chain logistics. Whether Maguire posted the photo in good faith, he appears not have done any basic journalism like asking the staff why it was empty. Guido gets the impression that Maguire was being disingenuous…

Hat-tip: David Atherton