BBC World Service faces strike

Staff working for BBC World Service’s South Asia section are to take part in a 24-hour strike this coming Thursday 26 February.

The action marks the breakdown of talks between BECTU and the NUJ and BBC management which have lasted more than eight months.

The unions have been seeking substantial changes to the BBC’s plans to outsource the production of services broadcast in Urdu, Hindi and Nepali to Pakistan, India and Nepal.

The strike action will start at 00.01 hours on Thursday and will end at 23.59 hours that day.

The BBC’s plans are part of a bigger objective which requires savings of 3% year on year and a move to smaller premises at Broadcasting House in 2012.

BECTU officials have been pressing BBC management to recognise the threat to editorial independence which is explicit in the proposed moves; broadcasts from South Asia would be subject to domestic laws.

In addition, the disruption to the services caused by the planned relocations is likely to lead to a loss of expertise.

BECTU has also been urging BBC management to recognise their obligations to their current staff, whether they relocate with the services, or whether they exercise the available options to remain with the BBC in the UK.

Commenting on the dispute, Helen Ryan, BBC Supervisory Official, said: “It is a great disappointment that more than eight months of talks have culminated in strike action.

“However, the issues at stake are fundamental to the character of the World Service and to the conditions which staff work to.”

National Official, Patrick Styles, explained: “The staff concerned are a credit to the World Service and provide services which contribute a third of the World Service’s entire audience.

“We hope that this Thursday’s action, whilst regrettable, will prompt a re-examination of the issues to enable us to resolve this dispute by agreement.”

Last summer BECTU and NUJ members took part in a regular Thursday protest at the BBC’s plans.

At the end of July 2008, the BBC’s suspended it proposals to allow for unconditional talks with the unions’ representatives.