Members back action at ITN

ITN faces industrial action in January after BECTU and NUJ members voted to run a strike ballot.

The unanimous vote came at a mass meeting on 15 December, attended by more than 200 members of the two unions working at Independent Television News. Members were told by negotiators that industrial action was the only option after lengthy talks with the company about new terms and conditions broke down at ACAS.

BECTU's ballot of members is due to start on 23 December and closes on 13 January 2000. The first industrial action could be timed for late January.

A last minute offer of further discussions from ITN management has been accepted by the unions, provided that ACAS continue to be involved in the process of negotiation. The offer of further negotiations will not affect the timetable for the indutrial action ballots.

ITN, which supplies news programmes to the ITV network and Channel 4, is hoping to launch a 24-hour news channel, and new services on the Internet. The move will require changes in staff scheduling practices, with a significant increase in anti-social hours and night working.

Despite several months of talks, which included sessions at the conciliation service ACAS, no agreement has been reached on new terms and conditions for staff. The unions are particularly concerned about the effect that flexible scheduling will have on family life.

Management at the company are threatening to impose new contracts on staff from 4 January 2000 without any agreement with the unions.