Strike Ballot Looms For BBC Siemens Staff

Siemens staff employed at the BBC are to hold a ballot for industrial action.
Organised by media and entertainment union BECTU, the ballot follows the employer's decision to implement a pay freeze.
The pay standstill comes after a major redundancy operation which caused over 70 staff to lose their jobs.
Siemens have provided technology, transmission and IT services to the BBC since the sale of BBC Technology in 2005.
The ballot runs until 19th March 2010 and the union is advising members to vote in favour of industrial action.
National Official Suresh Chawla commented: "This pay freeze comes as a real 'double whammy' for our members; with the level of redundancies that we've already endured, and continue to face, it's not even as if a pay freeze is safeguarding jobs.
"Whilst colleagues within the BBC, and in other service partner companies, are receiving modest pay increases and with inflation now hitting 3.7%, Siemens' position is untenable.
"We have no option but to ballot our members for industrial action. We hope to be able to resume talks with the employer once they're able to make an offer."
Siemens is consulting BECTU about further restructuring and the employer is outsourcing over 50 jobs in server operations to Romania.
(BMcN/BMcC)