BBC Tory conference strike called off
A PLANNED strike by thousands of BBC staff during next week’s Conservative Party conference was called off last night after unions said they had received a “significantly improved” offer on pensions.
Journalists, technicians and other broadcast staff had been due to walk out on Tuesday and Wednesday when the Tories were gathered in Birmingham, threatening disruption to the keynote speech by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of the broadcasting workers’ union Bectu, said an improved offer would now be put to a ballot of members.
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Next week’s strike has been called off but there is the threat of industrial action later in the month if the deal is rejected. Labour leader Ed Miliband had earlier called on BBC staff not to strike.
He said in the “interests of impartiality and fairness” the PM’s speech should be broadcast on TV and radio.
Members of Bectu, Unite and the National Union of Journalists had voted in favour of industrial action in protest at alterations to staff pensions. BBC management claimed the changes were needed to tackle a pension deficit of more than £1.5billion.
