Strike threatens Corrie

Filming on Coronation Street and Emmerdale could grind to a halt next week after staff threatened to target the soaps in their strike over pay.

15:34 08 April 2005

Filming on Coronation Street and Emmerdale could grind to a halt next week after staff threatened to target the soaps in their strike over pay.

More than 700 staff at production companies responsible for ITV programmes staged a walkout this morning in protest at a 3.3 per cent pay rise.

And the workers at London Weekend Television, Yorkshire Television, Granada and 3sixtymedia warned they will walk out of the final scenes of filming on the soaps next week unless management comes up with a better offer.

They believe their action could lead to the top soaps coming off the air within a month.

"At the moment [ITV] have six shows in reserve on each programme, but in four weeks they won't be able to show these soaps," said Gerry Morrissey, assistant general secretary at the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (Bectu).

"If the action continues they won't have any spare episodes in a month and a blackout will take place. Every day they will get further behind their filming."

However, an ITV spokesman rejected claims that Corrie and Emmerdale could be off air as a result of the strike.

"We will be able to pick up these scenes during routine filming and we are absolutely confident this will not impact on the delivery of any episodes of Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Heartbeat to ITV," he said.

Members of the Bectu and Amicus unions argue that the 58 per cent profit rise posted by ITV in March makes a mockery of its pay offer, which they say barely touches the rate of inflation.

"Our members have effectively suffered year on year pay cuts while ITV executives and shareholders have been generously rewarded," said Amicus spokesman Mike Smallwood.