Action halted in BBC London Operations

Plans for a work-to-rule in January have been postponed while Resources management table a new offer.

The work-to-rule was timed to start on January 1, when management had threatened to impose new conditions of service on staff in BBC Resources London Operations.

However, after re-opening negotiations on December 15, management withdrew the threat of imposition, and promised to table a new offer improving their proposals for payments for long days and short breaks, and new travel arrangements.

The union is expecting to receive details of the new offer early in January, and if it represents a significant improvement in the proposals may ask members if they are willing to accept it in a postal ballot.

Before the resumption of talks, management were proposing that the costs of travel within 15 miles of Television Centre would be paid by individual staff, and also planned to scrap a current agreement for payments and voluntarism when staff exceed 12 hours a day or receive breaks less than 10 hours.

These proposals were rejected by the union, along with the management's plan to make more than 50 staff compulsorily redundant.

Other disputed details of the £12m savings package, including acting payments and leave credits for UPA1 staff, were discussed with management on December 18, and sections of the new conditions of service document are expected to be re-drafted as a result.

Negotiations on the package, which had reached deadlock in October, were resumed after a one-day strike on December 2 by union members in London TV Studios, OBs, and Post-Production and Graphics.

The management's change of heart over the January 1 deadline was confirmed early today.