BBC journalists strike over job losses

The BBC declined to speculate over which programmes might be affected by the action but the NUJ reckons it could see a repeat of previous years when Radio 4's flagship Today and BBC2's Newsnight were hit.

Thousands of BBC journalists have backed the strike call urging the corporation to end compulsory redundancies and redeploy internally.

The strike follows work-to-rule action by NUJ members since last Friday.

The BBC's Delivering Quality First programme blueprints more than 2,000 job cuts across the corporation. It has already lost over 7,000 jobs since 2004.

A BBC spokesperson told the Morning Star today: "It is too early to speculate on potential changes to the schedule or which services may be affected.

"We are pleased that audiences haven't experienced any disruption to services as a result of the work-to-rule by NUJ members."

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said compulsory redundancies were "needless" and criticised the corporation's management.

"This demonstrates the significant failures of some managers to uphold key aspects of the redeployment agreement, let alone the spirit of the deal."

She added: "That is why so many [BBC staff] are already working way beyond their contracted hours and are 'acting up' without financial reward, and why stress levels across the BBC are at an all-time high."

The last high-profile action at the BBC was in 2011 over compulsory redundancies at units including the World Service.