National Union of Journalists officials representing BBC staff will meet in London today to consider a proposal to call off a second 48-hour strike over pension scheme changes as tensions emerge at the union over whether to continue industrial action.
Some members are understood to believe the current deal on the BBC's pension scheme, which prompted the strike ballot, is the final offer the corporation's executives will put forward. Some are also said to be concerned about losing pay in the runup to Christmas and are urging their union reps to suspend strike action planned for Monday and Tuesday.
However, others within the NUJ are understood to be urging their colleagues to press ahead with industrial action.
Of the five unions which represent BBC staff, only the NUJ has rejected the corporation's revised pension scheme proposal, which will replace the existing final salary plan.
Gerry Morrissey, the general secretary of broadcasting union Bectu, yesterday contacted the BBC on behalf of the unions, including the NUJ, in an attempt to broker a deal.
The BBC agreed to meet with union officials to clarify key elements of its pensions offer – but only if next week's strike action is called off.
BBC sources denied it had agreed to reopen talks with unions over the pension changes if the current scheme's deficit is less than £1.5bn when it is valued next year.
However, union officials believe they have secured an undertaking from the BBC to hold talks about the pension changes if the deficit proves to be less than £1.5bn.
Mark Thompson, the BBC director general, has stated repeatedly that the BBC cannot afford to make further concessions and will not back down in the face of further strike action.
In an email to staff on Monday, Thompson said: "We have already reached a final position with four out of five of the BBC unions. We cannot and will not enter fresh negotiations or contemplate fresh changes to the agreed offer on pension reform no matter how much industrial action there is from the NUJ."
He added there would be no "substantive" or "economically significant" changes to the package. But Thompson also said the BBC would be willing to provide "clarification on the detail of the proposals".
About 60 NUJ representatives will meet in London at 1pm. A decision on whether to call off the strike and talk to management is expected to be announced by 4pm.
Some members are understood to want to increase the pressure on the BBC by announcing strike dates over the Christmas period. They have expressed anger at Bectu's refusal to strike and irritation over the fact its members have continued to work.
That has enabled some programmes that would otherwise have been taken off air to go out.
Others are said to be convinced the current BBC offer is the best on the table and see merit in Bectu's decision to accept the deal while reserving the right to strike next year, when the exact size of the pension deficit will be clear following a routine valuation.
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