NUJ suspends Bristol NUJ strike

BBC staff on the picket line at BBC Bristol, Whiteladies Road; 05 November 2010. (Photo © Simon Chapman)

This is an edited version of a story on the national NUJ website

BBC NUJ reps have voted by 51-1 to suspend strike action planned for Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 November.
The suspension was conditional on the BBC rescinding disciplinary action against members overseas who took part in the strike action last week. The BBC has now done so.
It means NUJ members at BBC Bristol, who went on strike for two days on November 5 and 6, will not now take action next week.
The NUJ has suspended the strike action planned for Monday and Tuesday to allow the talks to take place next week. The union says it remains committed to trying to make those talks meaningful and to reaching a negotiated settlement.
“We are going in, with all the other unions, with the intention of seeking real improvements to the proposals.
“Whilst we remain committed to trying to make the talks successful, in the event that the BBC fails to engage in any meaningful way, BBC reps have agreed to call further strike action,” the union said.
The BBC’s offer of talks comes following a successful 2-day strike on Friday and Saturday of last week.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: “We welcome the BBC’s change of heart and agreement to enter talks following industrial action by thousands of journalists and other BBC staff.
“We will enter those talks determined to seek a negotiated settlement. But we remain committed, and authorised, to take further industrial, political and legal action in the event that talks fail to deliver a fair pensions settlement”.
Scores of BBC journalists in Bristol took strike action last week and mounted a picket at Broadcasting House in Whiteladies Road. They received much support from the public and members of other unions. Some members of Bectu  refused to cross the picket line and some even left their union to join the NUJ.

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