No GMU As Strike Puts Radio Ulster Off Air

There is a second round of industrial action taking place today over BBC cost-cutting and subsequent redundancies

Journalists across the BBC are on strike in their second stoppage in protest against compulsory redundancies.

While the BBC NI news website seems unaffected, Radio Ulster's popular Good Morning Ulster (GMU) was an early casualty as the National Union Journalists (NUJ) said that throughout negotiations the BBC's management has refused to take the necessary steps to avoid compulsory redundancies.

They said this was despite the union offering a range of practical and alternative solutions in an attempt to stop journalists being forced into unemployment.

All the journalists currently affected are willing to accept redeployment and they face an uncertain future.

The NUJ have said the BBC is wasting thousands of pounds making skilled and experienced people compulsorily redundant instead of redeploying staff.

The NUJ is demanding that the BBC allow those who have left to gain access to internal BBC jobs and the ability to come back and work. The union is also calling on the BBC to extend the leaving dates of those facing imminent compulsory redundancy.

NUJ General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: "The BBC's current actions spell disaster for quality journalism, the corporation is wasting thousands of pounds making hard working, skilled and experienced journalists redundant.

"Instead they should be adopting alternative solutions and redeploy those who are threatened. No one should be forced out of work when there are jobs available for journalists to do.

"By taking strike action members intend to show they are prepared to stand up for colleagues under threat and the union is calling on the corporation to step back from the brink and avoid further industrial action in response to compulsory redundancies at the BBC."

Demonstrations are being held outside BBC Television Centre in London and at BBC Bush House later.

A BBC statement said: "We are disappointed that the NUJ has gone ahead with today's strike and apologise to our audience for any disruption to services.

"Industrial action does not alter the fact that the BBC is faced with a number of potential compulsory redundancies following significant cuts to the central Government grants that support the World Service and BBC Monitoring.

"We will continue with our efforts to reduce the need for compulsory redundancies, however, the number of posts that we are having to close means that unfortunately it is likely to be impossible for us to avoid some compulsory redundancies."

They said this action is running for 24 hours until midnight today: "We apologise to our audience for any disruption to services," concluded the BBC.

(BMcC)