Thousands of journalists across the BBC walked out at midnight Thursday in the first of two 48-hour strikes in protest at plans to devalue their pensions.
The Today programme on Radio 4 was replaced with pre-recorded material, after presenters John Humphrys and Sarah Montague chose not to cross NUJ picket lines.
Radio 5 Live and the BBC’s morning television news were produced with skeleton staff and unfamiliar presenters.
Newsnight economics editor and union rep Paul Mason was on the picket line outside BBC Television Centre in west London.
The NUJ said: ‘NUJ members at the BBC started taking part in strike action at 12.01am on Friday 5th November 2010 for the next 48 hours to stop the BBC Pensions Robbery.’
It added: ‘We’ve already been overwhelmed by the support for the campaign so far from staff at the BBC and not just NUJ members.
‘Colleagues in Bectu have inundated us with messages of support, with many refusing to cross picket lines to get into work.
‘It’s clear that staff right across the BBC are keen for us to win – as it would mean a better pensions deal for all.
Striking journalists at BBC World Service at Bush House, the Aldwych, manned a lively picket line.
A NUJ strike leaflet said: ‘We wouldn’t feel so angry if we really were all in this together – but senior BBC executives are still enjoying their £1 million pay-offs and pensions of up to £230,000 a year.
‘For all BBC staff it means paying more, working longer or getting significantly lower pensions.’
Mike Workman, FoC and NUJ World Service branch chairman, spoke to News Line on the picket line.
He said: ‘Our pensions are being stolen by the fat cat managers of the BBC.
‘They cannot run public services with public service values and pay themselves huge salaries while expecting staff to suffer huge cuts in their pensions.
‘We estimate that someone in their 30s will lose £150,000 from their pension pot.
‘We want the BBC to withdraw their proposed cuts and wait for a proper evaluation of the pension scheme deficit.
‘The management did a deal with the government to turn the TV licence fee into a broadcasting tax,’ he added.
