Radio Shetland on strike

RADIO Shetland is set to be off air on Monday as union members join a one day national strike over job cuts across the BBC.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) confirmed the walk out would take place unless the BBC agreed to end compulsory redundancies.

The union’s general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “NUJ members across the BBC are taking action to defend jobs and quality journalism at the corporation.

“They are angry and frustrated at the poor decisions being taken at the top of the BBC – decisions that are leading to journalists being forced out of their jobs and quality journalism and programming compromised.”

The union said that members across the BBC – in Scotland, in BBC South, the Asian Network, Newsbeat, News, Five Live, the Big Screens, the World Service and English Regions – remained at risk of compulsory redundancy.

A spokesman for BBC Scotland said the corporation was sorry that it wouldn’t be able to bring listeners its scheduled programmes in the isles.

“We understand how frustrating and difficult situations involving redundancies can be, but it is disappointing the NUJ have chosen to take this action.”