BBC Strike Action Halted

The BBC has suspended its voluntary redundancy trawl bringing a halt to threatened strike action.

NUJ, Bectu and Unite were about to ballot their members on industrial action over the broadcasters’ plans to cut 2,500 jobs and make up to 1,800 staff redundant.

Talks will now be held between the BBC and union representatives over the next two weeks.

In a letter to the joint unions the BBC confirmed it will postpone sending out letters asking for staff to come forward for voluntary redundancy for a period of two weeks. This will allow talks to take place to agree a national framework covering a number of issues including redeployment and training for staff facing the threat of redundancy. The national framework will ensure that there is consistency within the process across the corporation.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Staff are most keen to understand their own futures and we believe delay will cause unnecessary stress.”

Gerry Morrissey, Bectu’s General Secretary said: “We are pleased Mark Thompson and the board have seen sense and are honouring the joint unions’ existing national agreement to consult the unions.

Luke Crawley, Bectu’s assistant general secretary added: “The BBC must honour its agreements with the joint unions or face the fact of an immediate industrial action ballot.

“It is unacceptable to trawl for volunteers without agreeing a national framework covering the treatment of staff facing redundancy.”

NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: “We are pleased the BBC have stepped back from the brink and agreed to union calls for meaningful talks to take place at a national level.

“Such a framework will provide the unions with the opportunity to make clear our ongoing concern at the implications for quality broadcasting of the BBC’s plans to cut jobs and for proper negotiations over Mark Thompson’s proposals to take place.”

Director General Mark Thompson said that following money saving initiatives, TV audiences could expect more repeats and fewer original programmes but promised quality would be maintained.

(DS)