So Monday comes, and the BBC is now trying to pull up the drawbridge on the NUJ, saying there'll be no new negotiations on the Executive's pension proposals.
Mark Thompson reckons the management can put on more programmes during the next 48-hour strike - and that puts the spotlight firmly on R4's Today programme. Clearly there are enough freelancers and others to keep national tv news bulletins going, and some semblance of a News Channel (as long as you don't mind endless re-runs of On the Road with Stuart Broad). On Friday 5 November, there was no Today, but on Saturday 6, Evan Davis and Sarah Montague appeared at the microphone - and for the first time in recent memory there was a Today during a strike.
On Monday and Tuesday, 15 and 16 November, the schedule currently shows John Humphrys paired with Sarah Montague on both days. My guess is that John won't appear, but one of the other men will help Sarah out. That'll be enough for the management to claim success; they don't care as much about World at One, PM, and Newsnight.
Meanwhile on the NUJ side, Jeremy Dear is asking for time to reassess the deficit, rather than a new deal. It doesn't look a strong position.
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