Negotiations concluded

Negotiations have concluded with BBC London TV Studios management about proposed cuts with ten staff members leaving on voluntary redundancy terms.

This followed a consultative ballot of BECTU members in the BBC's Resources Directorate leading to an overwhelming vote in favour of being balloted for industrial action if the negotiations broke down.

As a result of a redundancy trawl agreed with BECTU 28 applications from staff in BBC TV Studio Operations were received. Management were prepared to allow 10 to leave.

Their initial proposal was for 16 redundancies but they accepted in the interests of good industrial relations they were prepared to agree that no further redundancies were necessary. Although BECTU still believes there is no justification for any redundancies in this area the union were not opposed to the 10 volunteers leaving on redundancy grounds.

BECTU Supervisory Official Gerry Morrissey, who was involved in the final stages of the negotiations, said: "I am happy that we have resisted management's attempts to use utilisation as a criterion for redundancy, as it is not objective and cannot be deemed to be a fair selection process."