The BBC is facing the threat of another strike after broadcasting unions gave the corporation a four-week deadline to halt compulsory redundancies
Further industrial action could go ahead if the BBC does not back down from a commitment to issue compulsory redundancy letters to about 50 staff.
The BBC has nearly reached its target of making more than 1,000 job cuts in the first year of director general Mark Thompson's efficiency savings drive. It has been achieved so far through voluntary redundancies and other measures but a small number of compulsory redundancies are planned.
However, with the number of compulsory redundancies for this year now down to about 50, the unions Bectu, the National Union of Journalists and Amicus have demanded the BBC defer the cuts to next year, or explain why this cannot be done.
If the corporation refuses, the unions will hold another meeting to consider industrial action.
Under the complicated system of job cuts, it is understood that 30 staff from the factual and learning department will be sent compulsory redundancy letters on April 1, with more personnel to be informed soon afterwards.
The unions have imposed a four-week deadline to halt these compulsory redundancies before they come into effect and the affected staff leave the BBC in this summer.
Luke Crawley, the BBC supervisory official for Bectu, said he believed the number of people agreeing to go was already nearer 1,500 - well above the corporation's target of 1,045 for the first year of Mr Thompson's three-year cost-cutting drive.
"We estimate that around 1,500 people have agreed to go voluntarily, even though one problem we have is that the BBC is not providing us with up-to-date figures," Mr Crawley said.
"But it does not make sense to force 50 people to go when so many have already volunteered to go or, in some cases, have gone. There is no reason for it."
Paul McLaughlin, the national broadcasting organiser for the NUJ, said: "The threat of redundancies is a major disappointment. The BBC seems hell bent on going ahead with sending these letters out despite the fact enormous progress has been made on this issue. We want the BBC to come clean on exactly where we are."
The BBC had agreed not to make any compulsory redundancies before April 1 under a deal thrashed out with the unions after a 24-hour strike last May.
But the unions' ultimatum comes after it emerged last week that the BBC will seek nearly 2,000 redundancies in the next 12 months as part of its plan to cut or outsource up to 6,000 jobs to save £355m a year by 2008.
The BBC was unable to comment.
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