ITV to be hit by industrial action over pay dispute

Staff at ITV sites across the country are to take industrial action over pay after Easter.
In a postal ballot which closed yesterday, March 23, staff in ITV centres in Manchester, Leeds, London, Norwich, Birmingham and Nottingham voted by a majority of 55% to take action in an effort to improve a pay offer of 3.3%.
Two weeks ago ITV announced its first full-year results with pre-tax profits of £340 million after a year of large scale cuts and restructuring. The company exceeded its savings targets by 20% achieving cuts of £120 million.
With these results in, the unions railed against the pay offer to staff claiming that it was barely in line with inflation following years in which pay increases at ITV have fallen up to 19% behind increases in average earnings and the erosion of other staff employment conditions.
The production centers which have voted for action include those producing Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and regional news output. Staff at the London Studios and the Southern Transmission Centre are also due to take action.
Details of the days and type of action are expected to be announced after shortly after Easter.
(CD/SP)