Scottish freelances vote ‘yes’ to deal

The union’s Scottish Freelance members have voted overwhelmingly to endorse the pay deal arrived at with BBC Scotland last month.

All 480 members of the Scottish Freelance branch were balloted with 90 voting in favour of the pay awards and only 2 votes against.

Many freelances in the branch do not do any work for BBC Scotland, but BECTU is happy that a significant majority of those who do actually work for BBC Scotland have returned a solid vote supporting the deal.

BECTU and BBC Scotland are now in the process of organising a mail out to all members to ensure that everyone who is due a backpayment will get it.

Under the deal, several schedule D freelance grades are due a 4% uplift on minimum rates from 1 October 2007 while all schedule E freelances and casuals are due a 4% increase on the minimums from 1 April 2008.

Scottish Organiser Paul McManus explained: "The BBC will now start going through its records to organise any backpayments which are due but we both wanted to ensure that no one is inadvertently missed out and therefore we agreed to send a letter to all Scottish members asking them to confirm details of any work they have done for BBC Scotland since October or April 2008.

“Equally any BECTU members from outwith Scotland who have worked for BBC Scotland during this period should email BECTU's Scottish Office or telephone on 0141 314 0060 so that we can send them the letter too."