Nine Newspapers journalists to go on five-day strike during the Paris Olympics amid growing frustration with Mike Sneesby

Hundreds of print journalists could walk off the job within days unless they can strike an 11th-hour deal with their employer.

Journalists at Nine Publishing on Monday voted overwhelmingly in favour of going on strike for five days from Friday, a decision which could impact on its coverage during the first weekend of the Olympics in Paris.

On the other side of the world, Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby was spotted running through the streets of the French capital on Monday, proudly holding the Olympic flame.

Reporters on the ground reported that Mr Sneesby lapped up the attention of the adoring crowd, stopping for selfies and allowing fans to touch the torch before he was quickly whisked away.

He came under fire earlier this month when he flew to Greece with his family for a week-long holiday, hours after 200 jobs were axed across the media company.

Almost half of those jobs are expected to be cut from print mastheads, including the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Australian Financial Review.

The cuts sparked a resounding vote of no confidence in Mr Sneesby from Media Entertainment Arts Alliance members at Nine Publishing.

More than 90 per cent of Nine Publishing journalists who are unions members voted on Monday to take industrial action if they cannot negotiate a new enterprise bargaining agreement in the coming days.

The threatening strike action is in response to the company’s refusal to deliver a fair that delivers a better than CPI increase, diversity pay audit and quotas, protection against the use of AI, according to the MEAA.

'The company's pay offer fails to acknowledge cost of living pressures and management has not dealt with other claims from journalists including a genuine commitment to better workplace gender and cultural diversity, improvements to grade progression and protection through consultation in relation to AI,' a statement read.

'These mastheads are strong financial performers, and have a reputation for award-winning journalism, and Nine needs to invest in its editorial frontline ahead of its financial bottom line.'

Nine purchased the broadcast rights to the Summer and Winter Olympics in a $305million deal which continues through to the 2032 Games in Brisbane.

It's understood at least 17 staff assigned to cover the Olympics in Paris could walk off the job if the new enterprising deal isn't reached by Friday.

'The decision to go on strike was not made lightly as an event like the Olympics only comes along once every four years,' the MEAA continued.

'Members regret the disruption the industrial action may cause.'

The union urged management to resolve issues when the two parties reconvene at the next bargaining meeting on Wednesday.

An unnamed employee claimed Mr Sneesby's recent Greek holiday was comparable to Scott Morrison's infamous decision take his family on holidays in Hawaii during the devastating 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.