BBC News staff stage 48-hour strike over pension reform

Members of the National Union of Journalists have begun a 48-hour strike at the BBC in a dispute over proposed pension plan changes.

The NUJ, which has 4,100 members at the BBC, voted to reject the corporation's "final" offer on pensions, according to BBC News.

Radio 4's Today programme was an early casualty but BBC1's Breakfast News was going ahead. Further industrial action is planned for 15 and 16 November.

BBC director general Mark Thompson said the strike would not cut the deficit. In an e-mail to BBC staff he said the action “may manage to take some output off the air or lower its quality.

"But strikes aren't going to reduce the pension deficit or make the need for radical pension reform go away," he added.

Broadcasting union Bectu, which includes technical and production staff, voted to accept the deal.

The journalists' union says it expects most BBC radio and TV news programmes will either not go out or be severely disrupted.

It says many well-known presenters will not turn up for work, nor will many reporters and producers.

NUJ members at the BBC are also set to observe an indefinite work to rule from Sunday, ensuring they take full breaks and only work their minimum prescribed hours.