LONDON (AFP) - BBC staff are to stage a two-day strike next week in protest over work being outsourced to India.
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at the BBC's television licensing headquarters in Bristol, southwest England, were to take industrial action on Monday and Tuesday, warning that the outsourcing could lead to hundreds of job losses.
More than 100 workers were to strike after a 95 percent vote in favour of industrial action.
Employees are angry at the decision by Capita, Britain's leading business process outsourcing company which is contracted to administer the licence, to outsource work to Mumbai.
Workers at the British Broadcasting Corporation's Bristol site collect the licence fee.
"CWU members have been left with no alternative but to take industrial action as Capita are unwilling to provide long-term guarantees in relation to jobs," said CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey.
"We know that UK customers do not want their bank and other personal details sent abroad and we call upon the BBC to intervene in this matter and reverse Capita's cynical decision.
"With recent media reports about the inaccuracies and flaws in criminal records checks made in Indian call centres, it begs the question why are companies still prepared to take the risk.
"Many blue chip organisations have reversed the policy of outsourcing to India back to the UK because of concerns about security," Furey said.
