Thursday, May 12 2005 22:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Journalists and broadcasting workers at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) will strike for three days starting later this month over plans to cut 3,780 jobs across the organisation, union officials said today (May 12, 2005).

Workers from three trade unions will walk out on May 23, May 31 and June 1, threatening disruption to radio and television programmes at the world's biggest public broadcaster.

The announcement came after thousands of journalists and other employees at the BBC voted yesterday to go on strike over the dispute.

"We will aim to cause the greatest amount of disruption possible to highlight our anger at the scale of job cuts and our concern about the effect these will have on the future of the BBC," said Gerry Morrissey, assistant general secretary of the broadcasting union Bectu.

"We expect overwhelming support for the strikes and we hope the BBC will return to the negotiating table to discuss these unacceptable job cuts with us."

Union members backed industrial action in protest at plans by BBC director general Mark Thompson to cut 3,780 jobs at the corporation.

All the strikes will be held on weekdays, and they will not affect coverage of the FA Cup Final, England's premier knockout football tournament, on May 21.