'Today' at risk as unions threaten action over BBC redundancies

TV unions are threatening to go on strike and pull news and live programmes such as the FA Cup Final off the air, if the BBC announces compulsory redundancies next month.

TV unions are threatening to go on strike and pull news and live programmes such as the FA Cup Final off the air, if the BBC announces compulsory redundancies next month.

Leaders from the broadcast union, Bectu, and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), which together represent nearly half the BBC's staff, met last week to discuss tactics for what looks set to develop into a protracted dispute with the broadcaster over its planned job cuts.

Mark Thompson, the BBC director-general, will announce new headcount targets for all BBC departments on 7 December. They are expected to lead to thousands of redundancies.

As many as 6,000 of the Corporation's 28,000 jobs could eventually be axed in the cost- cutting exercise, ahead of the Government's review of the BBC's five-year charter agreement next year. Mr Thompson wants to demonstrate that the BBC offers value for money before it secures another slug of public funding.

Gerry Morrissey, the assistant general secretary of Bectu, said that news programmes such as Today on Radio 4 could be pulled if members vote for strike action. He added that news bulletins would be hit if technicians responsible for live reports are on strike.

If the dispute continues, the schedules for next spring and summer could also be affected, particularly outdoor events such as the FA Cup Final, the Wimbledon tennis championship and rugby internationals, he said.

"We will do whatever is necessary to secure our members' jobs. If members go on strike, any live programming or outside broadcasting would be affected, as well as news programmes."

Some of the job cuts will be achieved through natural wastage and voluntary redundancy. The BBC's online activities, which have an annual budget of £60m, and its human resources department are two areas being targeted. Some news and sports departments are also being earmarked for relocation to Manchester.

But BBC insiders admit that some compulsory redundancies will be inevitable. If these are put forward, the unions say they will ballot members on industrial action.

Paul McCoughlin, the NUJ's broadcasting national organiser, said: "Our group would want to consult on industrial action if compulsory redundancies are announced."

Mr Thompson has suggested that the 7 December announcements will be "headline" in scope and that details will remain to be worked out.

A BBC spokesman said: "No final conclusions have been reached and so it is premature to talk about what we might be saying to staff."