Speaking at the Uni Graphical European News Conference in London this week (19 October), Burke also criticised News Corporation owner Rupert Murdoch and predicted that site closures in the UK would continue at pace.

He told an audience of union members from across the European Union: "Many employers followed the phrase 'never miss the opportunity of a good crisis'. Our members have been forced at gun point to take pay freezes."

Burke was talking about Unite's views of the UK newspaper sector as he launched the three-day event in London.

He explained that local print sites had been closed, with journalists being centralised, which he saw as a threat to local democracy.

Burke added: "Unite expects no more than six 'supersites' in the UK. The biggest danger of all is News International's Broxbourne site.

"Many of you know the battles we had with Rupert Murdoch over Wapping. This is the same anti-union employer who is now able to contract produce, we believe, all of the current UK national titles.

"This is the same business that called for the dismantling of the BBC and led the right-wing attack on (US President Barack) Obama and his National Health Service plans.