BBC could ‘go dark over Christmas’ as journalists balloted on strike action
The BBC could be hit by fresh turmoil just as it’s already reeling from the fallout from its botched Newsnight investigation, as its journalists are balloted on possible strike action.
It follows news that 35 jobs are to be lost at BBC Scotland and a further six on the BBC Asian Network, including compulsory redundancies.
The National Union of Journalists is warning that there is ‘every possibility that screens will go dark over Christmas’ after ballot papers were issued to its members across Britain for strike action or work-to-rule as early as 14 December.
Paul Holleran, the NUJ’s Scotland organiser, said: “People are saying the whole question of cuts is absurd at a time when the BBC should be boosting the debate during the referendum, particularly in combination with the timing of the Commonwealth Games.”
BBC Scotland cuts will affect a number of senior journalists including presenter Bill Whiteford; Waseem Zakir, business correspondent on Good Morning Scotland as well as cuts to Gaelic programming, new media and the press office.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We have implemented all the redeployment commitments we agreed to with the joint unions in a timetable agreed with them. We are making considerable efforts to avoid compulsory redundancies; however, the BBC has to make significant cuts and we have always been clear that it will not always be possible to avoid them completely.”