Third Resources pay meeting

The third meeting on possible changes to the BBC Resources pay system has taken place.

The meeting, held on 22 April 2002, followed on from the previous meeting with Resources management.

Management said there may be separate proposals for Post Production and office-based areas because of differing work patterns than Studios and OBs.

Nominal proposed salaries were put forward for grades in the context of the 'bronze', 'silver' and 'gold' system for new starters.

It was agreed not to publicise specific proposed salaries at this point, until treatment of current staff has been discussed, to avoid any possible misunderstandings.

The proposals do not include any changes to the current grading system.

Salary points within each grade are expressed as percentages. The lowest salary, or floor, of each grade is taken as 100%. In general the 115% point is considered the fully competent salary level - ie the salary awarded once an individual can carry out all facets of their job description competently (this figure does not include UPA etc).

A degree of discussion at the meeting concerning the practical significance of the 115% level resulted in a divergence of opinion if this represented a minimum salary.

It is also worth noting that for some operational and engineering categories there has effectively been a number of fully competent salary levels within each of the grades. This has been to 'fit in' jobs as a result of the previous grading salary differentials. An example would be categories in the previous 2N/2S grades which are both within one of the current grades.

Management said they had set the 'silver' level at the 135% salary point, and 'gold' at 150%. They said there was no formula for setting the 'bronze' salary level, but had instead had looked at the current situation in relation to the floor of each band along with current earnings, work patterns and staff daily rates versus freelance rates.

However an analysis of the figures proposed to the union showed at an apparent different treatment of salaries at lower grades. The following shows the average percentage above the floor of each grade for the range of categories tabled:

• Grades 3/4:
  • 'Bronze' - 105%
  • 'Silver' - 117%
  • 'Gold' - 131%
• Grades 5/6/7/8:
  • 'Bronze' - 122%
  • 'Silver' - 136%
  • 'Gold' - 151%

Your Representatives believe this has the effect of depressing salaries at lower grades.

When challenged management said that they had taken into consideration the 'market rate' when making their calculations. They added that those at lower grades tended to work at the 'silver' level in terms of number of days currently worked.

They said they intended the entire package to be cost neutral, though not necessarily across every individual category.

Concern was expressed by the union that because calculations for the proposals had been based on 10 hour days that staff working longer days would be receiving less pay. Management said that all areas, except Post Production, worked an average 10 hour day.

Although the proposals being discussed at the meeting covered new starters, and that it is intended that other elements will cover the treatment of current staff in moving to any new system, the union will not want to be involved in introducing a system that depresses pay for either for current or future staff.

Your Representatives put to management the question asked by most members who have studied the proposals - 'why'? Why are the proposals being tabled and what are the benefits?

In answer to 'why' management responded by claiming the proposals represent:

• A new system with different behaviours based on business performance rather than time worked.
• A different relationship between staff and management based on trust.
• More guaranteed average salary with a higher pensionable component.
• Increased 'buy out' salary element in a more transparent system.
• Moving to less number of days worked from current maximum of 224 days a year.
• The introduction of profit bonus with no personal performance pay.

When asked if there would any administration savings as result of the proposals management said there would not be since current systems would have to remain in place.

Potential problems with a drift to increasing day length, because of the nature of the proposals, and the removal of overtime and WOODS payments removing deterrents to scheduling irregularities, where also made by your Representatives.

The possible negative impact of the proposals on UPA1 areas such as Technical Services was also expressed by the union.