ACAS package accepted by BBC members

BECTU's BBC members have voted to accept a package tabled at ACAS after the June 4 stoppage.

BECTU members, voting in a ballot which closed at lunchtime today, have overwhelmingly accepted proposals made at ACAS last month on salary management, multi-skilling, and terms and conditions for Resources staff.

The proposals, made after a 24 hour stoppage of BECTU members on June 4, were endorsed by the union's negotiating team, and were accepted by a majority of more than 10 to 1. Ballot results

BECTU is now switching its attention to this year's claim for a 9% pay rise, which is due to be discussed with the BBC on Monday July 13. The original claim was submitted in March, and was based on the expected inflation figure for August, the pay anniversary month, plus an additional percentage intended to close the gap which has opened up in the last few years between BBC pay and average UK earnings.

March inflation was 3.2% and earnings increases were running at 4.8%

Since the claim was tabled, inflation has risen to 4.2%, and average earnings have also shot up to 5.2%, making the demand for a 9% rise look comparatively modest.

By coincidence, press leaks about this year's BBC Annual Report, due to be published on July 15, indicate that the pay rise given to Director General John Birt was also exactly 9% - the union plans to make as much mileage as possible out of this when pay talks begin on Monday.

All the BBC's unions will be at the first pay negotiation, even though the NUJ have still not given the BBC their final position on June's ACAS proposals. Despite two meetings in the last week with News and Broadcast directorates for "clarification" of the ACAS package which has now been accepted by BECTU, the journalists' union has still not said whether it plans to ballot its own members.

At one stage the management threatened to postpone the pay negotiations until the NUJ agreed to the ACAS package, however after reminders from the unions that the August 1 pay settlement date is looming, the BBC stuck by its promise to start talks next week.

There will be more information about the pay talks on the union's web site after the pay meeting on Monday July 13.