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23 May, 2005 - Published 10:58 GMTmKj中国英语学习网
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BBC strikemKj中国英语学习网
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Journalists and technicians at the BBC began a 24-hour strike at midnight in protest at plans to cut thousands of jobs. Union leaders say thousands of workers will join the walkout today. The BBC has said it regrets the unions' decision and will do everything it can to broadcast programmes. This report from Torin Douglas:

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News output on radio, television and online is expected to face the severest disruption today. Union leaders say they believe flagship news programmes on BBC radio and television will not be broadcast, and twenty-four-hour news networks will be badly hit.mKj中国英语学习网
The three unions - the National Union of Journalists, BECTU and Amicus - say they expect the walkout to be joined by around eleven-thousand workers - out of a BBC staff of twenty-seven-thousand. They say plans to cut almost four-thousand jobs over three years are savage and will damage the BBC's output.

The BBC says the efficiency savings are vital for it to respond to rapid changes in technology and the money will be reinvested in programme services. It's told the unions the strike will damage its relations with the public.

Torin Douglas, BBC, London

Listen to the wordsmKj中国英语学习网
outputmKj中国英语学习网
here, programmes

to face the severest disruptionmKj中国英语学习网
to be badly affected ('to face' means 'to deal with')

flagshipmKj中国英语学习网
main

walkoutmKj中国英语学习网
strike

to cutmKj中国英语学习网
to reduce (the number of jobs)

savagemKj中国英语学习网
cruel, barbaric

damagemKj中国英语学习网
harm, result in lower quality

efficiency savingsmKj中国英语学习网
reduction in money spent in order to be more productive with minimum waste of effort

reinvested inmKj中国英语学习网
put back into

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