NUJ to hold strike ballot at BBC over job cuts

Thousands of NUJ members at the BBC are to be balloted for strike action in response to the threat of compulsory redundancies across the Corporation.

The union says that around 100 BBC journalists based in the World Service, BBC Monitoring, Online, and in Scotland and Wales are threatened with compulsory redundancy.

The NUJ, which represents the majority of journalists at the BBC, is to ballot members after it says the BBC refused to consider further moves to secure redeployment or find alternative opportunities for around 100 staff.

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: "For months we have been negotiating with the BBC and have been able to resolve most cases by agreement. But the BBC’s refusal to consider workable alternatives for around 100 staff has left us with no choice but to ballot members for industrial action to defend jobs and services. There is no justification for these compulsory redundancies."

The union will begin the ballot next week.

Pic: Jeremy Dear speaking at protest against BBC World Service job cuts outside Bush House in London. (Jon Slattery)

Punk not dead...Jeremy Dear is Joe Strummer

Outgoing NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear can be seen here singing Janie Jones backed by a Clash tribute band.

Maybe the reasons why Dear has decided to quit his post and not stand for re-election are contained in the lyrics:

"He's in love with rock'n'roll woaahh
He's in love with gettin' stoned woaahh
He's in love with Janie Jones
But he don't like his boring job, no..."

I liked the quote from new general secretary-elect Michelle Stanistreet after Dear's performance at the NUJ's delegate meeting in Southport at the weekend. "It was certainly interesting,” she said. "But we will be consulting with our grassroots members through our Tea Dance Working Party to establish future policy on musical entertainment.

"Sing-along numbers like ‘Janie Jones’ are certainly popular with the older delegates, but it may be that our younger members would prefer something more modern and fab groovy, as I understand they say."