Day two of the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post strike proved to be as well supported as the first with thousands of cars, lorries and buses honking their horns, and supporters visiting the picket line with chocolates and other treats.

Addressing the strikers, many of whom are young workers taking industrial action for the first time, NUJ national executive member for the north east of England and NUJ Left activist Adam Christie said: “This, we think, is the biggest regional newspaper strike in the UK for more than 20 years.

“We’re fighting for our jobs, yes, but we’re fighting for more than that,” Adam says in a video of day two of the strike. “We’re fighting for papers that have been part of this city and part of this community for more than 100 years. That is important.”

On the video Richard Edwards, YEP chapel secretary, is shown telling his colleagues: “What we are seeing is the industry changing forever before our eyes. And we, by what we’re doing now, we’re refusing to have it dictated to us, we are going to say we want to shape that change. We’re proud of our industry, we love what we do.

“And also we’re seeing, I think, the beginning of a new chapter in trade unionism. We’ve got a lot of younger ones on the YEP who’ve never been tested in a strike before, and that’s myself included. I’ve been an activist for eight years now but I’ve never been on strike.

“And it’s been wonderful to see the younger ones who’ve never been out before, and the older ones who have, work together so well to organise this and pull it off with such dignity, style and passion.”

The strike is scheduled to run until Sunday 22 February and again next week from Thursday 26 February to Sunday 1 March.

NUJ members will be picketing the Yorkshire Post building in Leeds this weekend and from 7am to 6pm next Thursday and Friday. Friends and supporters are asked to join them at picket line rallies from 4pm to 5.30 pm on Thursday and Friday.

This is a fight for jobs, for justice, and for the maintenance of quality journalism in the regional press. Please give whatever support you can by sending messages, visiting picket lines and donating money.

- Cheques should be made payable to: ‘EP/YP joint chapel branch’ and sent to PO Box HP346, Leeds LS6 1UL

- Donations online to: Unity Trust Bank account 35017589 sort code 08-60-01

- Messages of support to: nujleedsstrikers@googlemail.com and 07549 170401

- Join the Save Leeds’ Local Newspapers facebook group

- Keep up to date with strike news on the NUJ website

- And follow updates on the dispute blog

Send letters of protest over job losses and their effect on newspapers to:

- Chris Green, managing director, Yorkshire Post Newspapers, Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 1RF

- John Fry, chief executive, Johnston Press, 53, Manor Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7EG

Posted by NUJ Left