Strike threat makes Friday 13 a horror story for BBC sport

Coverage
of the return of Match of the Day to BBC1 and the Olympic opening ceremony
could be affected, after broadcast union Bectu announced plans for strike
action over the sale of the BBC’s technology arm.

BBC
programming could be disrupted by strike action on Friday 13 August, the day of
the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Athens, and the following day, when
Premiership highlights are due to return to BBC1 after three years on ITV1.

Bectu
members working for BBC Technology voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike
action earlier this month, after the £2bn sell-off to IT services company
Siemens Business Services was announced.

BBC
Technology staff run everything from the BBC switchboard to the main control
room in Television Centre, through which all satellite links to the Olympics in
Athens and Premiership games around the UK are routed.

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BBC
Technology said contingency plans were being drawn up and it was hoped the
strike action would not affect "the BBC or the public".

By Daniel Thomas