1st August 2011

Journalists across the BBC are on strike in their second stoppage against compulsory redundancies.

Here is the picket outside BBC Nottingham this morning

Throughout negotiations with the BBC, the corporation's management has refused to take the necessary steps to avoid compulsory redundancies despite the NUJ offering a range of practical and alternative solutions in an attempt to stop journalists being forced into unemployment.

All the journalists currently affected are willing to accept redeployment and they face an uncertain future through no fault of their own. The BBC is wasting thousands of pounds making skilled and experienced people compulsorily redundant instead of redeploying staff. This is money that should be used to make better programmes and to ensure the future of quality journalism at the corporation.

For example, one NUJ member worked at BBC for many years until being unceremoniously escorted from the building and made compulsorily redundant last Friday (July 22). The member has specialist language skills and a matter of hours after he was dismissed another member of staff was asked to cover work which would have previously been done by the member. Yet the BBC says there is no job for him. Days after his dismissal the BBC externally advertised three posts in the specialist language of the same NUJ member.

The NUJ is demanding that the BBC allow those who have left to gain access to internal BBC jobs and the ability to come back and work. The union is also calling on the BBC to extend the leaving dates of those facing imminent compulsory redundancy.

NUJ General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: "The BBC's current actions spell disaster for quality journalism, the corporation is wasting thousands of pounds making hard working, skilled and experienced journalists redundant. Instead they should be adopting alternative solutions and redeploy those who are threatened. No one should be forced out of work when there are jobs available for journalists to do.

"By taking strike action members intend to show they are prepared to stand up for colleagues under threat and the union is calling on the corporation to step back from the brink and avoid further industrial action in response to compulsory redundancies at the BBC."

Indymedia: NUJ Strike : members picket at BBC Nottingham

Friday 5th November 2010

http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/645

Indymedia: Stand up for Journalism : Market Sq, Nottingham Event

http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/11/385178.html

NUJ: BBC strike over job cuts

http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=2188

NUJ: latest information on the BBC pensions campaign

http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=1679

National Union of Journalists

http://www.nuj.org.uk

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ALAN LODGE 

Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham.  UK

Email:                 tash@indymedia.org

Web:                   http://digitaljournalist.eu

Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]

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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.

                                   It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"

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