Members of BECTU and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have voted by more than 90% in favour of strike action to defend their pensions. Management have been attempting to push the retirement age from 60 to 65, increase the contributions to pensions from 4% to 7%, pensions increments to be limited to 2.5% or the Consumer Price Index, and scrap the final salary pension element. The announcement of strike dates on 5 and 6 October forced management to table a slightly improved offer. Unfortunately, BECTU and Unite have accepted this revised attack on pensions, but NUJ have rejected it. BBC director general Mark Thompson who last year was paid £834,000 has written to workers urging people to cross the picket lines – activists on the ground across all the unions in the BBC should ensure Thompson does not get his way.