News archives 2000

Plans for a work-to-rule in January have been postponed while Resources management table a new offer.

BECTU and AEEU have accepted plans to shut down two TV studios in BBC Birmingham.

New negotiations are being set up to resolve the jobs and conditions dispute in BBC Resources.

Union members at the RSC Barbican site are voting on industrial action over time off.

A 3.1% pay rise is the centrepiece of an interim settlement in a dispute with SOLT.

Members at BBC Birmingham have reacted strongly against plans to leave Pebble Mill.

BECTU has raised concerns about the future of ITV regional programming under new regulator Ofcom.

Controversial new rules on expenses' claims have been deferred for a month by the BBC.

Hundreds of BECTU members in BBC London Resources have responded to the call for 24-hour stoppage.

NUJ members at BBC Bush House start a 2-day stoppage at 1600 on Saturday November 25.

A one-day strike has been called in BBC London Resources on Saturday December 2.

Union members working in BBC London Resources have voted for strike action against cuts in jobs and pay.

Consultation has started with the BBC on new rules for reclaiming meals, overnights and other expenses.

Pay and conditions guarantees for BBC staff moving into a new subsidiary have been accepted in a postal ballot.

Proposals at MTV could lead BECTU to taking legal action to gain union recognition at the company.

Two casting agents have abandoned charges for up-front fees from film artistes who join their books.

BECTU has suspended a strike ballot in BBC Education after management clarified their final offer.

A deal protecting pension and redundancy rights for staff joining 3sixtymedia has been accepted by BECTU.

A strike vote is being held in BBC London Resources after negotiations on £12m of cuts ended without agreement.

BECTU members in BBC Education and BBC Technology are voting on Greg Dyke's reorganisation plans.

A BECTU survey of members at ntl reveals that over two thirds are worried about pay differentials.

BECTU was this week expecting the Theatre Managers' Association to respond to a new pay and conditions claim.

A union ballot on a new BBC company has been abandoned to allow the vote to be taken again.

Negotiations on new pay and conditions at Scottish and Grampian TV have ground to a halt.

Members transferring to new company 3sixtymedia are due to hold a mass meeting on October 18.

An industrial action ballot is being run among BBC Education members after reorganisation talks broke down.

BECTU's 2001 Annual Conference is to be held at Eastbourne on the UK south coast.

BBC members in departments covered by Technology Ltd proposals are to be balloted.

BECTU is holding its third Graduates Production Show in London on 19 September.

The campaign to improve rights for film and TV directors has received support from a 200-strong meeting in London.

Theatre members working in London's West End have agreed to talks about changes in their contracts.

BECTU is to become one of the first UK trade unions to establish a stakeholder pension scheme.

BECTU has questioned the long-term survival of a joint TV facility company being set up in Manchester.

BECTU is expecting to be given details of 3sixtymedia's business plan at a meeting in September.

BECTU plans to fight against job cuts in the BBC's Birmingham base at a meeting on August 29.

Overwhelmingly BBC London studios and OBs members are opposed to proposed redundancies and conditions changes.

New NEC elections in two BECTU divisions have produced identical results to ballots earlier in the year.

BECTU is due to start talks with Granada and the BBC on a new facility company based in Manchester

BECTU has accused English theatres of transferring funding shortages onto staff through low pay.

Members in BBC London studios and OBs are holding a consultative ballot on compulsory redundancies.

An initiative to improve payments to film and TV directors has been snubbed by a major employers' association.

The BBC has pledged to resettle staff wherever possible as Greg Dyke's cuts close jobs.

BECTU has voiced concerns about loss of local programming if Carlton and United Media merge.

BBC Chairman Christopher Bland has denied plans to drop quality programmes from BBC1's schedule.

In a closely-run ballot, BBC Resource members in English Regions have accepted new job descriptions.

A decision to set up a joint Granada/BBC studio centre in Manchester could be made within days.

BECTU and NUJ members have voted by a large margin to accept this year's pay offer.

BBC London Operations management have announced proposals to cut at least 262 jobs.

BECTU members at the Independent Television commission have voted to accept this year's pay offer.

Part-timers can potentially claim access to company pension schemes as a result of a legal decision.

BECTU has vacancies for National Officials based at its London Soho office.

A re-ballot of the BECTU NEC elections in two Divisions is to be carried out following a software problem.

A major reorganisation splits up BBC Resources and creates a new technology company.

BECTU Skillsbase requires Careers and Training Advisers following increased demand for the service.

Peace deals have been agreed in English National Opera and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Ian Williams is the new Independent Broadcasting BECTU NEC member following a by-election.

Industrial action looms at AP Television News as staff vote on a 1.5% pay increase.

A ballot on this year's 3% BBC pay offer has begun, with a union recommendation to accept.

BECTU may win recognition in BSkyB after the company vowed to obey new recognition laws.

Nearly 400 new jobs were created at the BBC last year, according to the Corporation's Annual Report.

Members working in theatres outside London have lodged their first pay claim for 5 years.

BECTU and the NUJ are recommending that BBC members should accept a 3% pay offer.

BECTU has again condemned the "fresh blood" policy in operation at the BBC World Service.

BECTU has a vacancy for a Secretary (maternity-leave cover) based at the union's Cardiff office.

A digital production day is taking place on 20 June and will feature a range of the latest equipment.

Plans to ballot BECTU's LWT membership have been suspended after talks with the company.

Negotiations on this year's BBC pay claim were adjourned after a nine-hour meeting on June 6.

London freelance members working in commercials have voted to accept changes to the AFVPA agreement.

The ABC and Odeon cinema chains are planned to merge under the Odeon brand name.

West End theatre members want a return to annual pay negotiations, better job security and action on bullying.

The TUC is sponsoring the London Development Policy Forum to be held on 5 July 2000.

The Inland Revenue is seeking BECTU's views on the tax status of new media freelances.

Broadcast and Network staff at media giant ntl are being encouraged to join the union.

A media industry employment census scheduled for May 19 has issued almost 20,000 questionnaires.

Greg Dyke has announced that BBC producers will no longer have to pay directly for many library services.

A union complaint about cuts in Grampian TV's local programming have been backed by the ITC industry watchdog.

London freelance members working in commercials are being balloted on the future of the AFVPA agreement.

The results from ballots in two Divisions have been announced leading to the formation of a new BECTU NEC.

Moves to disaffiliate BECTU from the Labour Party were heavily defeated at the union's 2000 conference.

Film-maker David Puttnam is one of five BECTU members awarded honorary membership by the union's conference.

BECTU is backing a new government-funded body to develop the UK film industry.

BECTU has called for guarantees on salaries and pensions from the company which may buy Border.

The European decision to give artists a share in the resale of paintings has been delayed by the UK.

BECTU is looking for freelance film and broadcast productions who schedule in line with working time law.

Unions have tabled a BBC pay claim which demands a substantial pay rise and better working conditions.

BECTU has struck a new agreement over pay rates and video rights for members in the Greenwich Millennium Dome.

BECTU continues to fight for freelances' right to be protected under the Working Time Regulations.

Directors of the BBC's 17 new divisions have been given two months to come up with plans for job cuts.

BECTU and the Directors Guild of Great Britain have got together to host a free seminar on film financing on 2 May.

Strike action at Scottish ITV companies has been called off after a peace offer from management.

Anne Duffell, the union supported Pension Fund Trustee candidate, has been successful in a staff ballot.

Greg Dyke, BBC Director-General, has pledged to honour union agreements as his shake-up causes redundancies.

Unions have called another 24-hour stoppage at Scottish and Grampian TV after a successful strike on 29 March.

BECTU Officials will be out in force at major feature film studios on 31 March.

A one-day strike has been called on 29 March at Scottish and Grampian TV.

Advice has been issued to BECTU members in the BBC to protect their rights under Parental Leave legislation.

Union members at Scottish and Grampian TV have voted for a series of 24-hour stoppages.

The TUC will be celebrating May Day 2000 at the Millennium Dome with an event for all the family.

NEC ballots are to be held in two Divisions following the closing date for nominations of candidates.

BECTU's roadshow on new workers' rights reaches London on 23 March.

Union members at Scottish and Grampian TV are balloting for strike action.

The unions are backing BECTU member Anne Duffell in the March election for a BBC Pension Fund Trustee.

BECTU Learning Services requires a Project Manager based at the union's head office in Soho.

BECTU, NUJ, and AEEU unions have given notice of a strike ballot to the company that owns Scottish and Grampian TV.

BECTU has cautiously welcomed a government announcement that lifts an immediate threat of BBC privatisation.

After weeks of delay, the government plans to make an announcement about the BBC licence fee.

Grampian TV has been accused of bad faith by BECTU and Scottish politicians after announcing job cuts.

Plans for job cuts and wage cuts at Scottish Television have been shelved to allow talks with the union.

BECTU and NUJ members at ITN have voted to accept new contracts which include night working.

The European Commission is backing BECTU's case against the British government on leave for freelances.

A stoppage at ITN planned for January 28 has been cancelled after new proposals from the company.

BECTU has called for the Royal Opera House to be closed to enable repairs to backstage equipment.

Members at Scottish TV and subsidiary Grampian could go on strike as the company tears up union agreements.

Staff at ITN have voted overwhelming in favour of strike action in response to proposed changes to working conditions.

BECTU has become a founding member of a new international union body launched on 1 January 2000.