BBC strike may hit Easter schedules

BBC journalists and technical staff are to stage a strike in a dispute over job cuts, workload and claims of harassment

Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and technical union Bectu will walk out for 12 hours at noon next Thursday, March 28.

The move follows votes in favour of stoppages and other forms of action in a long-running row over a cost-cutting programme which will lead to the loss of 2,000 jobs.

The NUJ vote was 61% in favour of stoppages and almost 80% for action short of a strike, while backing among Bectu members was 56% and 81%.

The two unions have warned that jobs and working conditions are being affected by the so-called Delivering Quality First (DQF) programme.

Gerry Morrissey, leader of Bectu, said: “BBC staff have rejected management’s attempts to create a modern-day BBC sweatshop.

“Current demands on staff are unacceptable and with more job cuts planned it is essential that the BBC takes stock of the impact of DQF on its workforce.

“The BBC needs to address the issues of workload and harassment, and the way to do that is not by making people redundant.”

Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary of the NUJ, has accused the BBC of refusing to accept a suggested six-month moratorium on cuts to allow talks to go ahead.

NUJ members staged a one-day strike last month over compulsory redundancies which hit a number of flagship radio and TV programmes.

Union members in Scotland will be on strike tomorrow and on Monday over the compulsory redundancy row.

The unions maintained that the cuts were having an impact on the quality of BBC output and were placing “huge pressure” on staff.

Ms Stanistreet said: “Members are taking strike action next week in a clear message to the BBC that it needs to listen to its staff and properly address the problems created by their ill-conceived and badly-implemented cuts programme.

“It is disappointing that once again the BBC has decided not to properly engage, refusing our call for a moratorium to give space for meaningful discussions on the worrying impact of the cuts.

“BBC executives know they’ve got a major problem on their hands - the recent investigation into bullying and harassment has lifted the lid on a problem that has been allowed to grow to shocking levels, under the noses of senior executives supposed to be responsible for upholding BBC values.

“Compulsory redundancies being pushed through at the same time as jobs are being advertised externally is not just bad management, it’s a waste of licence fee money.

“The BBC is adamant that the cuts are having no impact on quality. NUJ members know this is bunkum.”

A BBC spokesman said: “We have had constructive meetings with the unions in recent weeks and agree that it is important to monitor how our staff are affected by the savings we are making.

“However, our position on compulsory redundancies remains the same, we must progress with those given the significant savings we have to make and strike action simply will not change this.

“We continue to work extremely hard to redeploy staff and have already succeeded in redeploying nearly double the number of people that have been made redundant. We hope with such a low turnout and relatively small numbers voting for a strike that the unions will reconsider taking industrial action.”