BBC Resources vote on new deal

BECTU members employed by BBC Resources are taking part in a consultative ballot on future rights on pay and pensions.

The ballot, which opened this week, asks members to return voting papers by the 27 June 2008 closing date.

The part sell-off of BBC Resources in April, which saw the transfer of the Outside Broadcast division to SIS OBs Ltd, left Post Production and Studios staff uncertain about their future terms and conditions.

BECTU raised critical questions about the treatment of remaining Resources staff:

• Would staff pension entitlements be covered by the protection agreed for fellow pension scheme members employed by the BBC?
• Would the redundancy protection agreed for BBC staff to 2011 also be extended to Resources staff?

Resources management’s initial refusal to provide equal treatment led to a formal dispute with BECTU in April. Further talks took place, followed by a breakthrough last week: BBC Pension Scheme Trustees authorised the extension of current pension rights and augmentation rules to Resources staff aged 55 and over, in relation to the move to Salford and the possible closure of Television Centre. These developments paved the way for the current ballot.

However BBC Resources’ proposal is conditional.

Members are being asked to accept a 2% pay award in August 2008 and the application of a single level of allowance for unpredictable working (UPA) for any new staff; existing staff would be unaffected by this change.

As a concession, management has offered to stagger the increase in staff pension contributions planned for September 2008. Instead of a straight increase from 6% to 7.5%, staff contributions would increase by 0.75% in April 2009 and again in April 2010.

The whole proposal provides protection to members over 55 in the same way as BECTU's agreement with the BBC, reached in March.

Briefing members on the progress of talks, BECTU Assistant General Secretary Luke Crawley said: “This deal is the best that can be achieved through negotiation and it is up to members to decide whether to accept or reject what is on offer. If the proposals are rejected then the next step would be a formal industrial action ballot.”

BECTU is not recommending how members should vote in this particular ballot.

Meanwhile, the union has sought a meeting with Resources management to discuss the company’s future plans. Studio staff face the planned closure of Television Centre in 2012 and Post Production staff in London, Birmingham and Bristol could still face proposals for transfer to another employer.

BECTU’s long-running discussions with BBC Resources about the sell-off of the whole company took a new turn in March when management confirmed that a buyer for Outside Broadcasts only had been secured.

This agreement led to the transfer of OB staff to SIS OBs Ltd on 1 April; transferred staff are covered by a substantial agreement protecting their terms and conditions, including pensions, for a three year period.

Amended 5 November 2010. For further information contact BECTU Head Office.