ITV Strike to Hit Live Programming and Filming Schedules

ITV Strike to Hit Live Programming and Filming Schedules

LONDON, March 31/PRNewswire/ -- A strike by broadcasting unions, Amicus and BECTU, at ITV's main production centres is set to 'blackout' popular live programmes such as Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and disrupt filming schedules for soaps such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale. The industrial dispute is over pay.

The action to be taken by Amicus and BECTU members at London Weekend Television, Yorkshire TV, 3sixtymedia and Granada will start strike action at 7 am on Friday 8th April through to 7 pm on Saturday 9th April, disrupting ITV productions in London, Manchester and Leeds over that 36 hour period. Both unions will be taking further action at LWT only starting again at 7 am on Friday 15th April.

BECTU members at ITV Central (Nottingham and Birmingham), ITV Anglia in Norwich and at the company's Southern Transmission Centre in London will also take part in a two-hour stoppage from 12 noon to 2 pm on Friday 8 April. In total more than 700 production, technical and support staff will be involved.

The strike follows member's rejection of a 3.3% pay offer in a ballot that closed last week. Members are angry that once again their pay rise barely touches inflation after a year of record job cuts and a strong financial performance. During the last five years ITV pay has fallen short of average earnings by 10% and has also fallen below inflation.

Mike Smallwood, Amicus' National Officer for the broadcast industry, said:

"Our members have had enough of the company's penny pinching when it comes to staff pay rises. Staff living standards are being eroded year on year and they deserve a far better deal given their contribution to the company's continuing success. Staff have been told that the company needs to keep pay in line with inflation yet ITV's senior management and directors are being awarded excessive amounts, We want a substantial increase for our members."

Sharon Elliot, BECTU Supervisory Official for Independent Broadcasting, said:

"ITV is traditionally regarded as a high payer. The fact is that high pay only applies to the few in ITV. Constant cost-cutting coupled with an enduring long hours culture, particularly in programme production, makes ITV below average when it comes to rewarding its staff. Some staff in ITV are paid as little as GBP11,000 a year. In a year when the company has exceeded its cost-cutting targets by 20% and cut more than 1500 jobs ITV staff deserve a substantial increase."

The two unions have condemned boardroom pay at ITV plc where Chief Executive Charles Allen, has received a bumper remuneration package of GBP8.7m. ITV's Finance Director is also reported to be paid GBP1m a year. ITV plc reported a 57% rise in profit in their first year as a merged company, a pre-tax profit of GBP340m. Carlton TV and Granada merged to form ITV in June 2004.

Amicus and BECTU are also seeking meaningful national pay negotiations with ITV plc rather than with the individual ITV companies.

Source: Amicus and BECTU

For further information please call Catherine Bithell in the Amicus press office on +44-(0)207-420-8909 or +44-(0)7958-473-224 or Sharon Elliott at BECTU on +44-(0)20-7346-0900

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