Scottish TV faces industrial action

BECTU members have voted to take industrial action over pay and job cuts at two ITV companies, Scottish and Grampian.

The combined turnout in two separate ballots of members at the ITV stations was 77% of all those entitled to vote - one of the highest participation rates in any recent industrial action ballot within BECTU - and nearly two-thirds voted for full strike action. (Full results at the bottom of this page)

A second question on the ballot papers, asking if members were willing to take action short of a full strike, won support from more than three out of four members who voted.

Under current UK labour laws, any industrial action approved by a ballot of union members must commence within four weeks of the ballot closing, and BECTU officials are looking at dates in early January 1999 as targets for stoppages.

However, the door has not yet close on futher negotiation over the issues which led to the dispute - Glasgow-based Scottish TV , which also has a controlling stake in the Grampian TV company operating from Aberdeen, asked to meet senior union representatives within hours of the industrial action ballot being published.

The top-level meeting was due to take place in Glasgow on December 22nd.