Union seeks talks over River City

BECTU has requested an urgent meeting with management at BBC Scotland over major changes at River City.

Reports from several sources suggest that the BBC is planning a major review of staffing on the Scottish soap where production is set to enter its sixth season later this month.

The flagship programme, which in five years’ of production has been screened twice weekly as two 30 minute episodes, employs a mix of full-time, contract and freelance workers.

News has reached BECTU that several staff who have worked on the production since its launch have not been recalled.

Workers are covered by a number of agreements with the joint unions; specifically, freelances are covered by BECTU’s freelance agreement with BBC Scotland which was introduced in 2005. No talks have been held with union representatives to address BBC Scotland’s plans for the soap in the new season.

Commenting on the developments, BECTU’s Scottish official, Paul McManus said: “A large number of freelances are finding out that having worked on the soap for a number of years they are now to be laid off.

“BECTU is concerned that a number of these freelances are covered by redundancy legislation and may well have claims against the BBC which they are not aware of.”

News of fundamental changes coincides with a joint union dispute with BBC Scotland over a pay rise for freelances from October 2008.

A national level meeting is diaried for 18 August to discuss the unions’ claim; if the meeting is not successful a formal ballot for industrial action could be held. Management have so far refused to grant an across the board increase for all freelance grades.

“There is no question that the signs of major changes on River City, so far without any consultation with staff or their representatives, will add fuel to the flames of staff discontent over management’s failure to take the unions’ pay claim seriously.” explained Paul McManus.

Management are said to want to introduce a permanent six-day working week at the Dumbarton site studios. BECTU believes this will mean an 11-day shooting fortnight with the 12th day counting as a day’s annual leave. If confirmed, such a move would be challenged by BECTU which has fought against excessive long-hours working since the production started.

Rumours are circulating that management intends to shoot the soap as a one hour weekly drama and that a new executive team has been introduced to try and force through savage cuts. One theory is that BBC Scotland’s ultimate goal is to secure a network slot for River City at the expense of established working conditions.

BECTU’s criticism of BBC Scotland’s poor communications strategy in this instance is backed up by the findings of the corporation’s staff survey.

This year’s survey, the first since 2005, revealed poor ratings on a number of key themes. On seven out of the nine themes, BBC Scotland rated less well than the BBC as a whole. Staff were invited to comment on the direction which the BBC is taking, the extent to which staff feel pride in the BBC and on their appreciation of the BBC’s leadership.

“The joint unions have already condemned management for their failure to consult over the proposed changes at a recent meeting with the Controller of BBC Scotland. There is a very real danger that both staff and freelances will call for a dispute in the face of management’s unilateral actions.” concluded Paul McManus.