Journalists striking for second time over proposed deal to sell Observer

Journalists at the Guardian and the Observer yesterday began a second 48-hour strike in protest at the proposed sale of the Observer newspaper to Tortoise Media, which was agreed in principle last week.

- Guardian staff

The industrial action follows a similar two-day strike last week, which was the first at the Guardian in more than 50 years.

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members passed a motion in November stating that selling the Sunday newspaper to Tortoise would be a "betrayal" of the Scott Trust's commitment to the Observer.

The trust is the ultimate owner of Guardian Media Group. Last Friday it was announced that a deal to sell the Observer, the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, to Tortoise Media, had been agreed in principle.