Four days of strike action to hit BBC

Broadcasting unions have named May 23 as the first of four days of strike action against cuts and privatisation at the BBC.

Representatives of Bectu, the NUJ and Amicus, meeting in London on the day after a decisive vote for industrial action by members, called for a 24-hour stoppage, from midnight to midnight. Unions plan to mount picket lines outside of BBC buildings.

A further 48-hour stoppage is planned for May 31 and June 1, followed by another 24-hour stoppage within the following week. Officials will meet at the beginning of June to decide further dates if necessary.

Unions said that the BBC's management will now be given the statutory seven days' notice of strike action, while union officials and activists across the UK begin to prepare for May 23.

At this morning's London meeting, representatives from across the BBC heard that management had not yet issued an invitation for the unions to resume negotiations on the major reorganisation which threatens a quarter of jobs at the Corporation.

Bectu's lead BBC official, Luke Crawley, said: "These are the opening shots in a campaign to force the BBC to negotiate with the trade unions. We cannot waste time 'consulting', we need to discuss how to stop the cuts."

Three key union demands were turned down by Director-General Mark Thompson at a summit meeting on April 12, leading to industrial action ballots across the BBC, and in the two wholly-owned subsidiaries, BBC Broadcast and BBC Resources, which are to be privatised.

Responding to the announcement of stoppages, the BBC issued a statement: "We regret that the unions have decided to take industrial action. By threatening the BBC's output, the unions put at risk the BBC's relationship with the public which is not in anyone's interest.

"Industrial action will not remove the need for further consultation or the need for the BBC to implement changes which will enable us to put more money into improved programmes and services. We will, of course, do everything we can to bring the best possible service to viewers and listeners during any industrial action."

(GB)