Monday, May 23, 2005



It's the first BBC strike day and I, like thousands of other employees, am staying away from work.

With so few journalists reporting for duty, the news output I've seen and heard this morning looks and sounds pretty pathetic.

I voted against strike action.

No-one could claim the BBC is most streamlined organisation in the world.

The way Mark Thompson presented the job cuts was clumsy. Even so, change and, sadly, job losses are a necessary part of the Charter Review process.

But despite my misgivings, members of my union -- the NUJ -- voted overwhelmingly in favour of a walk-out.

The union was there to advise and support me after my accident, and I see it as my duty to return the favour. For me, reporting for duty on a strike day would be like joining the army and then refusing to go to war.

So I won't be manning the picket lines -- but I won't be crossing them either.

3 Comments:

Blogger Janet said...

Hello Stuart...

Just surfed by because somebody in Taiwan found BOTH of our blogs when doing a Technorati search for info about the BBC strike.

Yours looks very interesting, and I'll come back from time to time. Just wanted you to know you have a new reader!

Janet
(aka Lord Celery)

12:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ok then Stuart I am expecting an abundant supply of interesting posts from you since you are out on strike. Unless, of course you are out picking out china, silver and crystal patterns for the upcoming wedding.

JEH Georgia USA

6:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So finally, are you going to marry or not? Or did she leave you because she doesn't like a guy who goes shopping during a strike?

10:56 PM  

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