Slag heaps and the economy

Last Modified: 16 Jul 2008
By: Newsroom blogger

Inside the morning meeting...

"We've got a couple of good meaty issues to get through today," announces today's programme editor as the morning meeting kicks off.

The first thing is strikes: public service unions Unison and Unite are expecting 600,000 council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to join a 48-hour action which began at midnight.

Once again, the industrial unrest boils down to the credit crunch; the unions claim the rising cost of food and petrol effectively makes their 2.45 per cent pay offer a pay cut. They want 6 per cent.

The second thing is unemployment: latest figures from the Office of National statistics reveal it's up - by 12,000 to 1.62 million in the three months to May.

But is this so shocking? Our economics team are quick to point out that the rise is not as steep as it seems, but is simply a noticeable contrast to the previously falling numbers of unemployed.

"It's not a massive monthly increase," one of the producers says.

"But who's losing their job?" someone asks.

"Well, you only have to look at the construction industry for starters," someone replies.

"Well it's a good economics day today," the programme editor sums up. "Or a bad one..."

"Are we just moaning our way into a recession?" one of the correspondent asks.

"Well it's pretty bad for some people," comes the strained response.

The programme editor steers the discussion away from economics to discuss a coal renaissance in Derbyshire - the increasing price of oil and gas has made mining a lucrative proposition once again.

"Who can we get on?" the prog ed asks, "tell me we can get Robert Redford..."

"I'm afraid not" says one of the producers working on the story, "I was emailing his people in the states from bed at 1am and we can't get him. But we can have his film..."

Sniggers all round, until it's made clear this isn't his next block buster, but rather a film about his stance against coal mining.

Tune in at 7pm to see if we use it, or if it ends up on the slag heap.