Media

Union members at BBC Northern Ireland announce 24-hour strike during local government elections

Move by National Union of Journalists members comes in opposition to cutbacks at Radio Foyle in Derry

Radio Foyle’s flagship morning show was axed last month and replaced with a half-hour news programme. File photograph: Patrick Doherty/PA

Fri May 12 2023 - 15:08

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members at BBC Northern Ireland have announced a 24-hour strike that will span two days of counting in the region’s local government elections.

Almost 83 per cent of those who voted in a recent National Union of Journalists ballot backed strike action in opposition to cutbacks at Radio Foyle in Derry. The walkout will begin at 12.15pm on Friday, May 19th and finish at the same time the following day.

Voters go to the polls in the North on Thursday, May 18th, with the count taking place on Friday and Saturday at centres across the region.

Paul Siegert, NUJ national broadcasting organiser, said: “Members have been left with no option than to head to pickets in defence of their jobs and the much-loved programmes listeners tune into daily.

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“Yet again, the BBC is pursuing savings and drastic changes at the expense of quality journalism it claims to pride itself on.

“The NUJ wants to reach a solution that resolves the dispute and asks the BBC to return to talks with a fair offer members can accept.”

Radio Foyle’s flagship morning show was axed last month and replaced with a half-hour news programme.

The BBC has said the reconfiguration is part of a strategy to invest in online services, including the iPlayer, and has insisted compulsory redundancies have been avoided.

The ballot result was announced last week.

Of 116 valid votes cast, 96 NUJ members in BBC NI said they were prepared to take part in strike action. Almost 96 per cent, 111 members, also backed industrial action short of strike. – PA

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