Pebble Mill studio closure agreed

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

The original announcement of the closure, which was made three months before the planned move of 600 staff to a new site in Birmingham, prompted a union campaign to keep the studios open.

However, the unions decided reluctantly to agree to the shut-down after a series of negotiating meetings led management to propose a package of measures easing the redundancy problems of the 90 staff affected.

Wherever possible, management agreed to accept volunteers for redundancy, and in some cases were able to agree to "bumping" - the transfer of redundancies from one section to another in order to avoid compulsory cuts.

In Audio Unit, cameras, and commercial unit, this approach significantly reduced the number of compulsory redundancies.

Elsewhere, staff still facing compulsory redundancy on March 31 2001, have been given the opportunity to apply for 15 Production Assignment attachments, and have been given a promise that re-training will be funded by the BBC up until three months after their last day of service.

Any BBC equipment connected with the studios that is not transferred to other areas will be offered for sale to redundant staff who may want to continue working as freelancers.

The package also covers leave entitlement, with untaken leave being paid as cash on the last day of employment. A number of staff with pension anniversaries in April will be allowed to stay on until they reach their respective service dates.

A review of the wind-down process has been promised for April 2001, when management will assess whether further measures need to be taken in Audio Unit and Broadcasting Engineering.

Despite reaching agreement on the job cuts, BECTU is still concerned that the BBC's commitment to the West Midlands region will be significantly diluted by losing two TV studios, even after the proposed move of Pebble Mill to the Mailbox development in Birmingham city centre.