BBC to meet unions for job talks

Mark Thompson said he was pleased about the Acas talks

The BBC is to meet unions at conciliation service Acas on Thursday to try to resolve a dispute over job cuts that has led to strike action.

Staff held their first strike day on Monday, disrupting television and radio news services.

Despite the Acas move, the unions say they do not plan to call off a 48-hour strike set for next week.

Director general Mark Thompson said he was pleased that the dispute was now being taken to Acas.

"We have always said we wanted to get back around the table and talk," he said.

"We wanted it all along. It was not us who got away from the table and we are just pleased now that there will be room to talk about it."

Bectu assistant general secretary Gerry Morrissey said: "We have both accepted the invitation without preconditions.

"We are not prepared to cancel next week's strikes until we see more detail of what the BBC may or may not be prepared to offer us."

The next strike is planned for two days on 31 May and 1 June

BBC chairman Michael Grade said the governors would not intervene in the dispute.

"It's entirely a matter for the management. It's wholly inappropriate for the governors to put themselves between the managers and the dispute," he said.

Mr Thompson told the Westminster Media Forum earlier on Tuesday: "We have set out a plan for the future and a budget for the BBC over the next few years, and we can't unwish that.

"We came up with the proposals for staff numbers after many months of discussion. I would be surprised if we could find a way of shifting those significantly."

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bectu and Amicus unions have accused the BBC of already making decisions on the cuts, leaving no room for negotiation.

"We have not had a single piece of meaningful negotiation," NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear told Radio 4's Today programme. "The way to stop the two-day strike next week is agree to it.

"We want them to commit to negotiate a way of achieving any savings that need to be made without the need for compulsory redundancies."

The BBC said Monday's 24-hour walkout saw 38% of staff strike - but the three unions involved put the figure at 55%.

The strike finished at midnight on Monday, with radio and TV programming returning to normal.