BBC staff vote in favour of industrial action

The BBC is facing the threat of strikes after thousands of journalists, technicians and other staff voted massively in favour of industrial action in a row over pensions, it was announced today.

Members of the National Union of Journalists and the technicians’ union Bectu backed walkouts by more than 9-1 in protest at “punitive” changes to the staff pension scheme.

Unions held back from naming strike dates so that talks can be held over the next two weeks to resolve the dispute and avert strikes.

Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of Bectu, said: “This is a significant mandate for strikes, which demonstrates how out of touch BBC executives are with their staff. We hope they will now come up with more realistic proposals, otherwise we will have no alternative but to call industrial action.”

Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the NUJ, said: “This is an unprecedented result in favour of strike action and a clear rejection of the BBC’s proposals.

“We have agreed to give the BBC two weeks to come back with an improved offer or face a concerted campaign of industrial action.”