Success in BBC industrial action over pay offer
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| Staff leave BBC Television Centre main reception at the start of stoppage at 1200. |
The action ran from noon to 3 p.m. (1100-1400 GMT), and during the stoppage hundreds of striking union members belonging to BECTU, NUJ and AEEU attended rallies near all the BBC's main centres throughout the UK.
At the rallies, attention was focused on the unfair pay policy being operated by the BBC's management. This year staff were given an increase of 4%, while senior executives enjoyed pay rises of up to 9%, including Director-General John Birt.
Despite the short duration of the stoppage, and the long notice given to the BBC about impending action, the walk-out still hit BBC schedules.
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| The London rally at Hammersmith Town Hall West London. |
One of the main objectives of the action was to unite staff around a demand for fair pay, that was due to be communicated to the BBC's Governors before their routine meeting on Wednesday 21 October.
The demand, which was supported by all the staff rallies, condemned the decision to offer inflation-busting pay rises to senior managers, in a year when programme budgets were being cut.
The rallies also called on the Board of Governors to even out BBC pay by confirming that no member of the BBC's senior management Executive Committee would receive an enhanced pay award next year.
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| The differential between the average BBC staff salary, and the Director General's salary, is spelt out by BECTU President Tony Lennon at the London rally. |
This year's 4% pay increase has still not been agreed by the BBC's unions. The rise was imposed in August, and the unions are waiting to see if management respond to today's stoppage by initiating new talks on pay. Their last opportunity to resume discussions was the announcement on 7 October of a ballot in which more than 60% of BBC union members voted to take industrial action on pay. At the time, the management made no conciliatory moves.
Union spokespersons have praised members for their support of today's stoppage, which they say was well-supported and gave forceful expression to the anger of staff over unfair pay policy at the BBC. The unions are planning to continue the fight for a fair deal for BBC staff.
Motion from staff to BBC Governors
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| Members at the London rally vote in support of the motion. |
"This meeting condemns the decision to offer pay rises of as much as 9% to senior BBC managers this year, at a time when those same managers were urging staff to accept a 4% increase, as well as cuts in programme budgets across the Corporation.
We call on the BBC's Governors to confirm that in 1999 no member of the BBC's Executive Board will be given an pay award greater than the standard increase received by staff."
BBC Governors were due to be told by unions about the outcome of votes on the motion at their routine meeting in London on Wednesday October 21st.
Press release issued by BECTU 1500 October 20 1998
BBC programmes hit by union strike over BBC fat cats' pay
Union rallies were held in Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and London. and at these rallies members voted overwhelmingly for a motion that called upon the BBC Governors to confirm that in 1999 no member of the executive board will be given an award greater than the standard pay increase given to staff. BECTU's Supervisory Official, Luke Crawley, said "Staff came out today because they are very angry at the double standards being operated by John Birt and his cronies." Live programmes during the three hours' stoppage were expected to be disrupted. These were expected to include the lunchtime news on both radio and TV and all live programmes on Five Live.
BECTU's Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Morrissey, said "Members out on outside broadcasts, drama shoots, news stories and those based in BBC buildings around the country demonstrated today by their actions how angry they are that the senior management can ask them to show wage restraint while exercising no pay restraint when it comes to their own salaries. The Board of Governors must now act to ensure that licence payers' money is spent on making quality programmes and not over-paying executive managers. Failure to do so will lead to a major backlash from staff early next year when the 1999 pay negotiations will commence."
ENDS
Issued by BECTU Press Office. For further details please contact Gerry Morrissey or Luke Crawley on 0171 437 8506.
BBC union leaders claimed today that over 10,000 BBC employees supported their call to take strike action between 12.00 noon and 3.00 pm in protest at the inflation-busting pay increases awarded to senior managers, including a 9% hike in total pay for Sir John Birt. This increase means that the salary of the Director General has risen by 416% in ten years.
BECTU Assistant General Secretary Gerry Morrissey addresses the London rally.
Amended 21 October 1998