Im surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet but....Breaking News on Sky News is that the BBC will stage two 48 hour strikes.....surely this will be more crippling than the last BBC strike which was only 24 hours......
It may get stopped before it happens but it might happen!
I wonder who we may see cropping up to present the news?
Im surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet but....Breaking News on Sky News is that the BBC will stage two 48 hour strikes.....surely this will be more crippling than the last BBC strike which was only 24 hours......
It may get stopped before it happens but it might happen!
I wonder who we may see cropping up to present the news?
It's not actually been confirmed staff will strike, if you read it carefully it says that the possible dates have been set. If the members of NUJ etc. vote against the new proposals, those are the dates that will see strike action.
The joint press release can be found here - and as Peter says, consultation is ongoing.
The first dates announced (October 5th/6th) coincide with the Tory conference, and also the Commonwealth Games. If I'm not mistaken, the big broadcasters take it turn about to provide the pool coverage for the core conference coverage - anybody know which party the BBC's due to be doing this year?
Let's remember that there have been many threatened strikes over the years at the BBC that have never actually taken place . . . many of which have been in the run-up to major events.
In 2008, BBC radio engineers threatened to strike during the Beijing Olympics and I seem to remember an issue just prior to the 2004 Olympics as well.
So there's every possibility that this threat will be averted as well. Admittedly, however, the impact of this strike would be significant considering it clashes with the Commonwealth Games and the Conservative Conference, and potentially, the Government Spending Review announcement a few weeks later. It would be interesting to see how the BBC handles that one.
. If I'm not mistaken, the big broadcasters take it turn about to provide the pool coverage for the core conference coverage - anybody know which party the BBC's due to be doing this year?
Even if it was the BBCs turn to provide it (I'm not sure who is) then management will more than likely bring in an outside production company to produce the output. The key thing will be the lack of correspondents and specialists to analyse and front the coverage. With many people being multi-skilled these days, it would be interesting to see what happens!
Even if it was the BBCs turn to provide it (I'm not sure who is) then management will more than likely bring in an outside production company to produce the output. The key thing will be the lack of correspondents and specialists to analyse and front the coverage. With many people being multi-skilled these days, it would be interesting to see what happens!
It's not just multi-tasking, there are huge swathes of the BBC which aren't BBC any more including their outside broadcast arm.
Even though ex-BBC staff who have been transferred to Siemens, Red Bee, SIS etc would still be active in the BBC pension scheme I don't know whether they'll be eligible to strike as the dispute is not with their employers. I know at the last big BBC strike I know of people in presentation who did go on strike but that would have been either before the sell-off or not long after.
Even though ex-BBC staff who have been transferred to Siemens, Red Bee, SIS etc would still be active in the BBC pension scheme I don't know whether they'll be eligible to strike as the dispute is not with their employers.
AFAIK non-BBC staff members aren't in this dispute, even if they're in the same pension scheme. I think the usual union advice is that members should not do any extra work to get around any shortfall caused by those who've walked out.
Seems pretty obvious that the timing of the first strike is causing real concern amongst BBC News staff. An exchange of correspondance between the Millbank Staff and the NUJ is published today
Including the overnight News Channel simulcasts, there's around 13 hours of live material on each of BBC One and Two on each of the strike days. It's largely Commonwealth Games and Conference coverage, and news programmes.
I've also counted some programmes which are sometimes pre-recorded, like Strictly - It Takes Two, and Blue Peter. I'm not sure what will happen to Later... Live, as it's very resource-heavy, and probably often uses the same BBC S&PP crew.
BBC Parliament will be carrying the core Conservative conference coverage for most of the two days. It's due to be a BBC pool feed, though I read somewhere that Sky News might step in to produce that.