Journalists at BBC Newshour and The World Tonight vote for industrial action
NUJ members at Newshour and The World Tonight within BBC World Service have urged management to meet the union to avert a strike after voting overwhelmingly to take industrial action over rota changes.
The ballot results showed 94% supported both strike action and action short of a strike on a turnout of 97%. The ballot began on 20 April and closed on 8 May. Under the new Employment Rights Act, the legal mandate to hold industrial action now lasts for a year rather than six months.
The proposed changes to rotas would lead to fewer opportunities for freelances and increased workloads for staff. BBC management have so far rejected the NUJ's counter proposal and offer to meet, instead choosing to implement plans that would require staff to work an additional two days every four weeks due to slightly shorter shift times.
John Sailing, NUJ broadcasting organiser, said:
“Journalists at the BBC are coming under increasing pressure to do more with less. The changes being proposed by BBC management will mean that there are fewer shifts available for freelancers and their work will need to be redistributed. Staff on these productions already work unsociable hours, which mean they either start very early, or finish late at night - including on weekends and bank holidays - and are unable to spend time with friends and family. Being required to do this more often is not something they can accept.
“We have already proposed a workable solution to management and would urge them to get back the negotiating table and end this dispute.”