Expenses talks begin at BBC
Consultation has started with the BBC on new rules for reclaiming meals, overnights and other expenses.
At the first meeting on November 9 management said that they were "genuinely anxious" to listen to the concerns of BECTU, the NUJ, and AEEU, even though expenses were, as far as they were concerned, non-negotiable.
The new expenses system, due to start in January 2001, was announced as a fait accompli in September, without any discussion with unions. Since then hundreds of members have contacted BECTU to complain about the increased costs they will face whenever working away from base, or outside normal office hours.
Under the new regime people working away from base would receive no payment for lunch under any circumstances, and evening meals would be reimbursed only if people had worked more than 12 hours, or were on an overnight stay.
Flat-rate payments, used in many areas because they are easy to administer, are to be abolished under the BBC's new rules, and will be replaced by a system of "capped actuality", where staff can reclaim the cost of evening meals and hotel bills provided they are below limits set by management. If the actual costs exceed the limits, staff will have to pay out of their own pockets unless they have prior permission to exceed the capped amount.
The new system will also affect staff working late at night or early in the morning when public transport is not available. Trigger times which determine whether staff can travel to and from work in a subsidised taxi are being tightened up, and the existing option of using private cars in return for a modest mileage allowance is to be allowed only in "exceptional circumstances".
At the consultative meeting, the unions raised concerns over most aspects of the new expenses rules, and warned that trouble would follow across the BBC if they were introduced without significant amendments.
The loss of lunch allowances was condemned as illogical and unfair because many, though not all, BBC staff have routine access to subsidised canteen facilities, while people working on locations often have no choice but to eat in the nearest restaurant no matter how expensive. The BBC argued that it was reasonable to expect employees to meet the full cost of their own lunches on most occasions.
Restrictions on evening meal claims were also criticised, and management agreed to reveal, at a subsequent meeting, the reasons which had led to this change.
Unions pointed out that areas currently using flat-rate allowances to reimburse overnights were benefitting from a system which saved money both on payments and administration. Management said that many claims were being processed without supporting receipts, leaving the BBC open to fraud, and denying the Corporation the opportunity to reclaim £0.5m a year in VAT.
Union representatives believed that the flat-rate system had been misunderstood by management - in the experience of members no payments were ever made without receipts, and there was not reason to impose an actuality-based system in all departments. Management replied that the problem of unsupported claims existed "in all directorates".
Changes in the travel rules, including late night and early morning transport (LNEMT) were not intended to save money, said management, and the wording of some sections would be reconsidered as a response to union criticisms.
Problems raised by unions on the new travel rules included the BBC's decision to apply weekday trigger times for LNEMT on Sundays - current practice acknowledges the relative unavailability of public transport on Sundays - and the difficulty of obtaining receipts from public transport providers.
A coporate decision to abolish cash advances, and issue individual charge cards, was explored by unions, and the management agreed to consider whether interest charges would be reimbursed in situations where expenses had been incurred, but not repaid by the time that monthly bills were received from the card company.
On private car travel, management confirmed that the apparent ban on use of cars "except where there is a valid business reason" was not intended to alter current practice, and agreed to consider changes in phraseology.
Management confirmed that a number of allowances were to be scrapped completely, including the tool allowance, and payments for staff staying in tents and caravans, or with friends or relatives.
The management agreed to meet the unions again once they had fully considered points raised at the meeting, and admitted that they had been deluged by individual staff complaints about the new rules.
Unions warned that unless the new rules were changed before January they would take any necessary steps, including industrial action ballots, to resist the changes.