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24/05/2005
BBC to meet with unions for talks
The BBC will meet with union members at the offices of government conciliator ACAS on Thursday in the attempt to resolve the dispute over job cuts.
The announcement follows yesterday’s 24-hour strike by BBC staff across the country, in protest at Director-General Mark Thompson’s plans to cut nearly 4,000 jobs.
The joint union negotiating team, from the three unions involved – BECTU, NUJ and Amicus – are expected to meet with senior BBC managers on Thursday morning.
There are still plans to hold two further days of strikes, on May 31 and June 1, although unions have planned no further announcements regarding the possible strike action while talks are continuing.
BECTU Assistant General Secretary Gerry Morrissey said: “We welcome the invitation to talks at ACAS. Clearly the BBC would not have agreed to go unless they were prepared to negotiate.
“We’re expecting some kind of compromise from the BBC, but can’t predict at this stage whether it will be enough to settle the dispute.”
Earlier, BBC deputy director general Mark Byford told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that they wanted to talk to the unions about the changes. However, it was reported that Mr Thompson told the Westminister Media Forum that the BBC had a plan and budget for the next few years and that they couldn’t “unwish” that.
(KMcA/SP)
The announcement follows yesterday’s 24-hour strike by BBC staff across the country, in protest at Director-General Mark Thompson’s plans to cut nearly 4,000 jobs.
The joint union negotiating team, from the three unions involved – BECTU, NUJ and Amicus – are expected to meet with senior BBC managers on Thursday morning.
There are still plans to hold two further days of strikes, on May 31 and June 1, although unions have planned no further announcements regarding the possible strike action while talks are continuing.
BECTU Assistant General Secretary Gerry Morrissey said: “We welcome the invitation to talks at ACAS. Clearly the BBC would not have agreed to go unless they were prepared to negotiate.
“We’re expecting some kind of compromise from the BBC, but can’t predict at this stage whether it will be enough to settle the dispute.”
Earlier, BBC deputy director general Mark Byford told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that they wanted to talk to the unions about the changes. However, it was reported that Mr Thompson told the Westminister Media Forum that the BBC had a plan and budget for the next few years and that they couldn’t “unwish” that.
(KMcA/SP)
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Broadcasting unions have named May 23 as the first of four days of strike action against cuts and privatisation at the BBC. Representatives of Bectu, the NUJ and Amicus, meeting in London on the day after a decisive vote for industrial action by members, called for a 24-hour stoppage, from midnight to midnight.
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