The Central Arbitration Committee has approved an NUJ application to become the recognised union for journalists at PA Media.

The news agency had resisted signing a recognition agreement with the NUJ, telling Press Gazette in January that “union representation is unnecessary” for its staff.

Management at PA had argued the CAC should carry out a ballot of relevant staff at the company. However the CAC determined a ballot was unnecessary as more than half PA editorial employees are already NUJ members.