HAVING never had to take strike action, I must admit I find their occurence to be something of an irritation.

While I’m thankful that I haven’t been driven to take the stance that the only way of moving forward is to stop working for a given period,I just don’t think they work effectively.

It was announced last week that BBC staff will stage a 12-hour walkout from noon on Thursday in a continuing row over jobs, workload and claims of harassment.

It seems like they would revolt at the drop of a hat – because which industry in the current economic climate hasn’t faced some form of hardship?

As a journalist I am reminded on an almost weekly basis about the state of my chosen industry but I don’t feel the urge to switch off my computer, unplug my phone and wave a placard to distract motorists going about their daily business.

Locally there’s often a smattering of BBC staff standing on the grass verge outside their Hylton Road HQ but does it actually achieve anything and do people notice and think, ‘I support them’?

To me, the only obvious knock-on effect is some news bulletins are pulled and replaced with re-runs of Bargain Hunt or some other centrally-pooled programme.

Much of the day-to-day programming looks like this anyway – repeat after repeat.

Members of the National Union of Journalists and technical union Bectu voted in favour of the walkouts because of the BBC’s plans to cut about 2,000 jobs over five years as part of its euphemistically-named Delivering Quality First programme.

No one wants to lose their job and while a few more quid each month would be more than welcome it should be a case of being grateful for what you have and knuckling down and giving your best.

I’m sure there are more worthy trades that could consider downing tools in honour of their beliefs.

It is with all this in mind that I’m glad that schools in Worcestershire won’t be affected by further strike action this summer, which is set to take place on June 27, in a bid to secure better working conditions.

Though the threat of a national strike from the National Union of Teachers and NASUWT before Christmas still looms large.

It doesn’t really set the best of examples to the youngsters they are supposed to be teaching.