The NUJ have accused the BBC of a "pensions robbery" and an "unacceptable" pay cut in reaction to pension overhaul proposals announced by the broadcaster yesterday.
The proposals follow a three-month consultation to tackle the BBC's reported two billion pound deficit.
According to the BBC, the pension proposals include closing their final salary scheme to newcomers and capping the growth of pensionable salaries of existing members to one per cent.
In regards to pay, The NUJ claim that staff earning up to £37,726 a year have been offered a below-inflation flat rate increase of £475 while more than a third of BBC journalists will receive nothing.
The proposal 'on the table' from the unions would increase the broadcaster's pay bill just one per cent, the NUJ say.
"At a time of yet more job cuts and ever-increasing workloads, BBC management have launched an audacious pensions grab, a third of BBC staff are to be rewarded with a pay freeze, the rest will receive the equivalent of one per cent," says NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear in a release.
"It is unacceptable, unfair and no way to reward hard work and dedication. For all staff it amounts to a real terms pay cut."
All three unions will meet separately with BBC staff in the coming weeks to discuss the pay proposals, starting on 5 July, before joining together again on 19 July to discuss the feedback.
"If the BBC fails to address the real concerns members have over pay and pensions then a ballot for industrial action seems inevitable," Dear adds.
The BBC say the proposed pension changes will now go to consultation for 90 days, from 1 July to 30 September.
They told Journalism.co.uk that they had put their "final pay offer" to the unions and were "not going to speculate on the outcome of their discussions".
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