Unions at the BBC have called off plans for a 48-hour strike next week after 20 hours of talks with the public broadcaster at conciliation service ACAS, the unions said today.
The unions said the strike, to protest plans to cut 20 percent of the BBC workforce, had been called off so that members could consider a fresh offer from management.
However, they said they would not be recommending members accept the proposals. The unions said the BBC had made significant concessions over conditions for staff in divisions earmarked for sale, but had failed to address concerns over job losses.
A 24-hour strike on Monday forced the BBC to cancel or shorten most of its live radio and television news programming, including the BBC World Service. The BBC offer includes a one-year moratorium on compulsory redundancies and protection for the terms and conditions of staff in the BBC Broadcast division which is to be sold off.
The offer was conditional on the three unions suspending the strike action planned for May 31st and June 1st.
Representatives from the unions - Bectu, the National Union of Journalists and Amicus - will meet in London on May 31st to consider the offer.