BBC's wave of strikes likely to go on until Christmas

London: With a second day of industrial action by BBC journalists causing more disruption to programmes, the public service broadcaster is bracing itself for a a wave of strikes that could run on until Christmas.

The National Union of Journalists said the second day of the strike was being "solidly supported" and predicted disruption to radio and TV news programmes.

NUJ leaders will consider calling industrial action over the festive period unless there is a breakthrough in the increasingly acrimonious dispute over pension cuts.

"That would force managers and editors to work over the bank holidays," said one source.

The NUJ general secretary, Jeremy Dear, said the widespread industrial action had been having a "significant impact".

High-profile presenters have joined the strike, which has led to the scrapping of popular programmes and forced editors on air.

Speaking from an NUJ picket line in Glasgow, Dear said: "News programmes have virtually been written off in Scotland and we expect huge disruption across the BBC again today."

He said he had received calls for a petition of no confidence in the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, adding journalists now had little trust in the BBC management.

"They have got so many things wrong, from executive pay to the freezing of the licence fee as well as the cuts to journalists' pensions," said Dear.