The BBC has been urged to meet the staff of Radio Foyle "halfway" and change the flagship Breakfast news programme to one hour, rather than cutting it back to just 30 minutes.
The call came from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, who warn that an "appetite for industrial action, including strike action" is growing.
This comes just weeks after a 24-hour strike by members of the National Union of Journalists in response to cuts at local radio shows elsewhere in the UK.
Read more: BBC Radio Foyle cuts 'political' and 'attempt to close station by stealth', rally told
The BBC set out plans earlier this month to cut the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Foyle to just half-an-hour, down from the current slot of two hours each morning.
Under earlier plans, the Breakfast Show was to be cut entirely but opposition in the form of protests, negotiation with staff representatives and political pressure was followed by the decision to reduce it to 30 minutes rather than scrap the programme entirely.
The latest plan, however, was also met with immediate pushback including a protest outside the Foyle offices on the Northland Road in Derry.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has now written to BBC leaders to urge them to come to a compromise with staff.
In a letter to BBC director general Tim Davie, assistant general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in Belfast Gerry Murphy wrote: "While we acknowledge some progress as a result of negotiations with BBC management, we must express our dismay at the refusal of BBC management to consider seriously the compromise of an hour-long news and current affairs programme between 8 and 9am daily.
"The award-winning Radio Foyle Breakfast Show has a track record of providing local, entertaining and breaking news coverage, which is achievable in one proposed hour of local content. This will also drive digital output, thus supporting the BBC’s own digital goals.
"Listeners in the north-west will feel second best and then abandoned. They've already felt like this for too many years - politically and economically. It needs to be added that this happening at a time of political uncertainty, with identity issues at its core and a recent increase in dissident republican threats to police officers and broader political Progress.
"The anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (and the high profile visit of President Biden) ought to be an opportunity for the BBC to be seen as humane, progressive and respectful to a team with a track record of delivering high quality radio and digital news.
"This successful team have already proffered a revised staffing plan to BBC management which can work. BBC management is not showing they have faith in the team at Foyle, and this is feeding an appetite for industrial action, including strike action.
"Why doesn't the BBC meet staff at Radio Foyle halfway and give them the extra half hour in order to deliver an hour-long programme? It's achievable and the BBC would be meeting everyone halfway, and restoring morale in the workplace to where it needs to be. This is the way to do it."
A spokesperson for the trade union body said no reply had been received.
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