Presentation company rejected
Members have rejected the proposed spin-off of the BBC's Broadcast and Presentation department.
In a ballot nearly 90% of BECTU members in BBC Broadcast and Presentation (B&P) have rejected the principle of changing the department into a wholly owned subsidiary company of the Corporation.
B&P is the BBC department responsible for television programme playout, continuity and presentation.
The proposal to spin-off B&P has not been approved by the UK government Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
In the ballot 94% of B&P members also accepted the offer from management on terms and conditions in the event of the company being formed.
The offer, arrived at following union negotiations with BBC management, includes:
- No change in B&P conditions of service for at least two years.
- Keeping B&P staff in the overall BBC bargaining system until 2004-5.
- Current and future B&P staff remain in BBC Pension Scheme.
BBC management have justified its proposals by saying it wants the freedom of limited company status to increase significantly the amount of commercial work in B&P.
The plan is that the proposed company could service commercial cable and satellite channels once it moves into purpose-built facilities at White City in two years time.
BBC Broadcast & Presentation ballot result
| Question 1 - Do you accept the offer on terms and conditions? | ||||
| YES | 94% | NO | 6% | |
| Question 2 - Do you accept the principle of the transfer out of the BBC into a wholly-owned subsidiary? | ||||
| YES | 10.2% | NO | 89.8% | |