ITN Staff Set To Strike Over Pension Benefits

According to Bectu, union members at news provider ITN are set for two days of strike action in defence of pension benefits.
A ballot, which closed on January 5, showed 54% of union members in favour of strike action, with a participation rate of 68%.
The first day of action will consist of a 24-hour stoppage.
Unions have been in talks for several months about plans to cut ITN's contribution to its final-salary pension scheme by raising the staff retirement age from 60 to 65, reducing the rate at which benefits are built up for some staff, and capping the annual increases paid to pensioners.
The union said that talks had broken down hours before both sides were due to meet at ACAS in November 2006, when management declared that their proposals were a final offer, and would not be improved.
Although strike dates were announced immediately after the ballot closed, the union side have indicated that they are willing to continue negotiations in the hope of reaching an agreement, tabling a counter-proposal for management to consider. This consists of an offer to increase staff contributions to the pension fund by 2% of salary each year, and to accept the reduction in accrual rate from 1/50ths to 1/60ths, in return for company concessions on the retirement age and capped pensions.
Meetings of members at ITN have supported the unions' efforts to re-start talks, but also expressed determination to go ahead with strike action if necessary.
ITN chief executive Mark Wood expressed his disappointment that a "small group of staff" had voted to strike, but said the majority understood the necessity to make changes to its pension scheme. He added he was confident that ITN's full schedule of regular news would not be affected.
(DS)