▁Mort on ▁ ▁John ▁Mort on ▁had ▁been ▁with ▁the ▁Union ▁for ▁years ▁and ▁had ▁held ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁positions ▁with ▁the ▁organisation , ▁he ▁was ▁excited ▁to ▁take ▁on ▁the ▁role ▁due ▁to ▁so ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁ret iring ▁around ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁this ▁allowed ▁fresh ▁blood ▁to ▁guide ▁the ▁Union . ▁ ▁The ▁BBC ▁had ▁been ▁assess ing ▁their ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁twelve ▁piece ▁or chestra ▁and ▁the ▁exp ense ▁in ▁having ▁them , ▁by ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁they ▁employed ▁ 5 8 9 ▁mus icians . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁the ▁BBC ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁make ▁cut s ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁def ic it ▁of ▁their ▁income ▁because ▁lic ens ing ▁f ess ▁had ▁not ▁kept ▁up ▁with ▁infl ation . ▁Five ▁of ▁the ▁BBC ' s ▁orch est ras ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁dis band ed ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁cut s , ▁which ▁equ ated ▁to ▁ 1 5 3 ▁full - time ▁and ▁ 1 9 ▁part - time ▁jobs , ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁blow ▁to ▁the ▁Union ▁who ▁wanted ▁the ▁members ▁to ▁strike . ▁The ▁Union ▁decided ▁to ▁strike ▁the ▁BBC , ▁in ▁the ▁sevent h ▁week ▁they ▁negoti ated ▁their ▁terms . ▁ ▁Mort on ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁his ▁successor ▁was ▁Dennis ▁Sc ard . ▁ ▁Dennis ▁Sc ard ▁ ▁When ▁Dennis ▁Sc ard ▁came ▁into ▁the ▁role ▁with ▁the ▁Union , ▁he ▁saw ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁an ▁issue