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LONDON (AP) — A union says journalists at the BBC will stage a 24-hour strike on Feb. 18 in a dispute over job cuts.

Britain's National Union of Journalists says its members also will launch other limited job actions starting Friday unless the BBC cancels its plan for layoffs. The union, which has several thousand members at the BBC, says the broadcaster is planning to make about 30 people redundant.

General-secretary Michelle Stanistreet says she hopes "meaningful negotiations" can avert a strike. The BBC said Monday it was "disappointing the NUJ have chosen to take this action." The BBC is funded mainly by a mandatory 145.50 pounds ($228) annual levy on all households with color TVs. In 2010 the government froze the fee for six years, and the corporation has been making cuts.