NUJ

The NUJ, technicians' union BECTU and Amicus plan a further two-day strike at the end of May and a single day's action next month.

Martin-Clark took out temporary NUJ membership prior to publishing his article about McKeown in December 1999.

He served as Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Tribune Chapel, between 2014 and 2015 before acting in the chairman's capacity for a year.

'We are gravely concerned in allowing one party to have unquestionable power to remove articles it disagrees with could be easily abused,' the NUJ said in a statement.

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: "The decisive turnout and result clearly demonstrates that journalists across the BBC are not prepared to put up with paltry pay deals any longer."

It's particularly disappointing the BBC has failed to engage meaningfully in attempts to resolve this dispute - an abdication of responsibility for a public service broadcaster." A BBC spokesperson said: "We understand how frustrating and difficult situations involving redundancies can be, but it is disappointing the NUJ have chosen to take this action.

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said, "The BBC is prepared to waste public money on needless redundancies rather than secure redeployment opportunities for those at risk."

| THE LINE-UP: Panel members, from left, Stephen Dorril (lecturer in journalism, Huddersfield University), Adam Christie (of the NUJ), Michelle Hodgson (panel chair), Tom Watson MP and Roy Wright (editor, Huddersfield Daily Examiner) (PW291112Cdebate-02)

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said last night she expected the strike to be "very solidly supported" by the 3,000 NUJ members at the corporation.

NUJ members say staff at the broadcaster have already been struggling to cope with budgets cuts over several years.

But in an e-mail to Human Resources executive Liz Smith, the NUJ said: "The BBC Midlands Today chapel wishes to register grave concerns about the investigation that is taking place into morale in the newsroom and the behaviour of senior management.