Journalists' union says strike is 'inevitable' after BBC unveils job losses in Wales.
//with this strike looming in the UK and Writers/SAG strikes on the horizon in the US -- movie and television productions seem to be in for a bumpy ride....//
Journalists' union says strike is 'inevitable' after BBC unveils job losses in Wales.
From: Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales)
Date: October 19, 2007
Byline: By Tim Lewis Western Mail
BBC 2W will be the major Welsh casualty of sweeping cuts to the corporation announced yesterday. And strike action likely to affect the majority of BBC programming in Wales is now inevitable, union officials said. BBC Wales yesterday announced up to 230 jobs will go over the next five years as part of the corporations plans to lose 2,500 posts in the UK.
As part of the cutbacks the digital television service BBC 2W will be axed, with BBC Two Wales being carried across all digital platforms in preparation for the digital switchover in 2009.
The plans include Television Centre in London being sold, as well as 155 redundancies in Wales and 1,800 nationally. The gap between post closures and net redundancies will be met by new jobs.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has given the BBC a deadline of noon today to halt planned redundancy action and enter into negotiations or face industrial action.
Jeremy Dear, NUJ general secretary, said, We have sought reassurances from the BBC that they will honour their agreements with staff and agree to meaningful negotiations over their plans.
They have refused to give those reassurances and are pressing ahead with plans to axe jobs and make cuts which we believe will undermine quality programming across the BBC.
Whilst they talk about consultation they are pressing ahead with plans to axe 2,500 jobs. Their fine words are exposed as nothing more than empty promises. We have been given barely 20 minutes to scrutinise the plans. There is a lack of information and a lack of goodwill from the BBC. They must withdraw these plans, agree a framework for negotiations or face the potential of strike action.
News and factual programming will be hit hardest across the UK as efficiency targets of 3% per year have been set to make up the pounds 2bn shortfall in the BBCs budget.
Director General Mark Thompson said strikes would not change the level of the BBC funding and would not achieve anything as he urged unions to work with him to help redeploy staff.
As part of the changes, viewers should expect more narrative repeats, with the BBC making 10% less original programming by 2012/13, the equivalent of pounds 100m of commissions every year.
The axe will fall on middling output to make way for investment in fewer, high quality programmes, said Mr Thompson.
There will also be less original investment in late night off-peak programming, while TV rather than radio will bear the brunt of the efficiency savings.
Menna Richards, BBC Wales Controller, broke news of the cuts to staff in Cardiff and Bangor yesterday.
In her speech to the staff she said, The next five years are going to be a real test of our creative abilities. But the ambition is simple, our audiences must regard us an indispensable part of their lives.
Yes, it means making some tough choices about what we make and how we make it. But its also a journey we should approach with confidence because our track record in making great programmes that audiences love is outstanding.
Union leaders last night expressed their shock at the proposed cutbacks happening so shortly after a series of job losses at BBC Wales a few years ago.
Meic Birtwistle, of the NUJ Wales, said, Under questioning by staff Ms Richards could not specify where the cutbacks would fall within BBC Wales. This suggests that the cutbacks have been passed down from London with little if any input by Welsh management.
Menna Richards suggested in her speech somewhere between pounds 20m and pounds 40m could be moved to the nations from BBC Vision.
Given the success of some BBC Wales productions like Doctor Who, Torchwood and Tribe, insiders are confident that some of the money could find its way to Wales.
Plans to move from the existing BBC Wales headquarters in Llandaff were also brought up but as yet no firm timetable has been given.
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said he was confident the quality of BBC Wales would not be compromised by the cutbacks. He said, There is a challenging time ahead for Welsh staff at the BBC but Menna Richards assured me that BBC Wales is in a strong position to use its resources and people more effectively to build on the network successes it has already achieved.
COPYRIGHT 2007 MGN Ltd.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-170015802.html
Journalists' union says strike is 'inevitable' after BBC unveils job losses in Wales.
From: Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales)
Date: October 19, 2007
Byline: By Tim Lewis Western Mail
BBC 2W will be the major Welsh casualty of sweeping cuts to the corporation announced yesterday. And strike action likely to affect the majority of BBC programming in Wales is now inevitable, union officials said. BBC Wales yesterday announced up to 230 jobs will go over the next five years as part of the corporations plans to lose 2,500 posts in the UK.
As part of the cutbacks the digital television service BBC 2W will be axed, with BBC Two Wales being carried across all digital platforms in preparation for the digital switchover in 2009.
The plans include Television Centre in London being sold, as well as 155 redundancies in Wales and 1,800 nationally. The gap between post closures and net redundancies will be met by new jobs.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has given the BBC a deadline of noon today to halt planned redundancy action and enter into negotiations or face industrial action.
Jeremy Dear, NUJ general secretary, said, We have sought reassurances from the BBC that they will honour their agreements with staff and agree to meaningful negotiations over their plans.
They have refused to give those reassurances and are pressing ahead with plans to axe jobs and make cuts which we believe will undermine quality programming across the BBC.
Whilst they talk about consultation they are pressing ahead with plans to axe 2,500 jobs. Their fine words are exposed as nothing more than empty promises. We have been given barely 20 minutes to scrutinise the plans. There is a lack of information and a lack of goodwill from the BBC. They must withdraw these plans, agree a framework for negotiations or face the potential of strike action.
News and factual programming will be hit hardest across the UK as efficiency targets of 3% per year have been set to make up the pounds 2bn shortfall in the BBCs budget.
Director General Mark Thompson said strikes would not change the level of the BBC funding and would not achieve anything as he urged unions to work with him to help redeploy staff.
As part of the changes, viewers should expect more narrative repeats, with the BBC making 10% less original programming by 2012/13, the equivalent of pounds 100m of commissions every year.
The axe will fall on middling output to make way for investment in fewer, high quality programmes, said Mr Thompson.
There will also be less original investment in late night off-peak programming, while TV rather than radio will bear the brunt of the efficiency savings.
Menna Richards, BBC Wales Controller, broke news of the cuts to staff in Cardiff and Bangor yesterday.
In her speech to the staff she said, The next five years are going to be a real test of our creative abilities. But the ambition is simple, our audiences must regard us an indispensable part of their lives.
Yes, it means making some tough choices about what we make and how we make it. But its also a journey we should approach with confidence because our track record in making great programmes that audiences love is outstanding.
Union leaders last night expressed their shock at the proposed cutbacks happening so shortly after a series of job losses at BBC Wales a few years ago.
Meic Birtwistle, of the NUJ Wales, said, Under questioning by staff Ms Richards could not specify where the cutbacks would fall within BBC Wales. This suggests that the cutbacks have been passed down from London with little if any input by Welsh management.
Menna Richards suggested in her speech somewhere between pounds 20m and pounds 40m could be moved to the nations from BBC Vision.
Given the success of some BBC Wales productions like Doctor Who, Torchwood and Tribe, insiders are confident that some of the money could find its way to Wales.
Plans to move from the existing BBC Wales headquarters in Llandaff were also brought up but as yet no firm timetable has been given.
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said he was confident the quality of BBC Wales would not be compromised by the cutbacks. He said, There is a challenging time ahead for Welsh staff at the BBC but Menna Richards assured me that BBC Wales is in a strong position to use its resources and people more effectively to build on the network successes it has already achieved.
COPYRIGHT 2007 MGN Ltd.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-170015802.html