Staff at the BBC’s research centre at Kingswood Warren are to stage a strike on August 29 in protest at plans to move them to London. The BBC is to sell the facility and relocate employees to its White City headquarters.
“The base is an academic community which nurtures new ideas and solutions. Our members fear that relocation signals the beginning of the end for world-class BBC research,” explained Anna Murray, an official for BECTU.
According to the union its members are questioning whether the new accommodation will provide the environment needed to develop next generation technologies.
Staff are also concerned at the costs of commuting to London once an initial period of financial help has been completed. The BBC says that no staff will be left out of pocket. It is also possible that some members will face a second move to Salford, near Manchester.
Among recent work carried out by staff at Kingswood Warren is the development of the DVB-T2 transmission standard.
