Granada staff threaten to strike over pay offer and spectre of job losses

Granada's attempts to complete its takeover of Carlton faces disruption from a possible strike.

The company faces a tough and time-consuming task of convincing regulators that its acquisition of Carlton, to unite most of ITV, should be allowed. However, Granada could be paralysed by a staff walk-out.

The Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (Bectu) has decided to ballot members at Granada on a strike, after rejecting a pay offer. If industrial action is approved when the ballot closes on 25 November, disruption could hit Granada Manchester and Liverpool, LWT, Yorkshire TV, Tyne Tees TV, Border and Meridian.

The union's assistant general secretary, Gerry Morrissey, said: "The company refused to introduce a minimum annual salary of just £13,000, while at the same time finding it acceptable to pay one member of staff more than a million pounds a year."

According to Bectu, Granada's pay offer is worth 2 per cent over 21 months and is linked to changes in other benefits, such as the downgrading of the company pension scheme. The offer was rejected by union members in a postal ballot.

The company said the pay deal was worth 3 per cent and has already been implemented. Granada sources suggested the award was generous, given the collapse in revenues that the group has seen in a two-year advertising recession.

The union said its concerns had been heightened by the news, confirmed this week, of the Granada-Carlton merger. The deal is expected to lead to the loss of hundreds of jobs in central and administrative functions. However, the companies have promised that the deal will mean a net creation of jobs, as resources are redeployed into programmes.

Unions have written to Granada and Carlton, demanding assurances on jobs, regional programming and regional news. "Without these assurances we will be opposing the consolidation," Mr Morrissey said.