Original source:
Furious BBC World Service workers will strike for 24 hours on Thursday over the outsourcing of production.
Staff working for the south Asia section are to take part in the strike after the breakdown of talks between the BECTU and NUJ unions and BBC bosses which have lasted more than eight months.
The unions have been seeking substantial changes to BBC plans to outsource production of services broadcast in Urdu, Hindi and Nepali to Pakistan, India and Nepal.
The plans are part of a bigger objective which requires savings of 3 per cent year on year and a move to smaller premises at Broadcasting House in 2012.
BECTU officials have been pressing BBC management to recognise the threat to editorial independence which is implicit in the proposed plans, as broadcasts from south Asia would be subject to domestic laws.
In addition, the disruption to the services caused by the planned relocation is likely to lead to a loss of expertise.
BECTU supervisory official Helen Ryan said: ‘It is a great disappointment that more than eight months of talks have culminated in strike action. However, the issues at stake are fundamental to the character of the World Service and to the conditions which staff work to.’
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