BBC facing joint strike call over cuts

TWO trade unions are to ballot BBC journalists and technical staff on joint strike action.

The National Union of Journalists and the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre union (Bectu) said the vote would be held in the coming weeks in response to job cuts, and increased workload and stress.

Their move comes amid continued opposition to the broadcaster’s Delivering Quality First reforms, which involves the loss of 2,000 jobs.

Gerry Morrissey, Bectu general secretary, said: “We would prefer to have a sensible conversation with BBC management about the damage done in the first year of these cuts, but instead we’ve had to turn up the pressure to protect thousands of members from over-work, bullying and stress.”

NUJ members staged a one-day strike last week in a dispute over compulsory redundancies.