The NUJ has informed members that two consultative ballots show a 70% rejection rate regarding proposals for Local Radio sharing.
Members have voted in favour of industrial action, meaning all NUJ members working across the sector could strike in the week commencing March 13th 2023.
A new formal ballot will now take place with papers being sent out from February 6th, closing three weeks later.
Paul Siegert, NUJ national broadcasting organiser, said: “There is real anger about the BBC’s plans for local radio which will result in 5.7 million people getting a much-reduced service.
“It will completely undermine the BBC’s public service remit and take the “local” out of local radio. We expect there to be an overwhelming vote for action.
“The union has made it plain that it supports the BBC’s expansion of digital, but believes it can be done without destroying local radio.”
In a separate dispute, BBC members in Northern Ireland have voted 95 per cent in favour of industrial action over the corporation’s proposal to close 36 posts across the province and end the popular BBC Radio Foyle Breakfast Show.
Posted on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023 at 9:26 am by Roy Martin