BBC journalists begin voting on 3 November on whether to take strike action or action short of a strike, in a statutory ballot over planned compulsory redundancies. The ballot, organised by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), closes on 24 November, meaning any industrial action would not take place until December at the earliest.

The ballot follows the BBC's announcement that just over 100 roles will be cut at BBC News, worth around £5.5 million in savings, as part of a wider £500 million savings drive. The corporation has also said its Nations division must reduce headcount by around 250 full-time posts. The NUJ says multiple journalists have already been told dates they must leave unless alternative roles are found, and argues that repeated redundancy rounds have damaged morale and left remaining staff with unmanageable workloads.

The BBC's deputy director-general told staff the corporation had received formal notification of the ballot and respected members' right to take part, but said it could not guarantee there would be no compulsory redundancies. He said most redundancies agreed so far had been voluntary and that the BBC would do everything possible to minimise compulsory losses, while facing significant financial and operational pressures.

What happens next

The union has described industrial action as a last resort and called on the BBC to return with an offer addressing compulsory redundancies and workload concerns. A separate ballot on pay is also open and closes on 5 November. The last strike by BBC journalists took place in May, when World Service and Radio 4 staff walked out over rota changes.

Sources: National Union of Journalists; Press Gazette.