Boycott of BBC staff survey

BBC members are being advised not to complete personal statements about their outside interests.

The Corporation plans to send "conflict of interest" forms, mostly via e-mail, to all staff, asking them to declare whether or not they have business, personal, or political connections outside the BBC.

Although the unions were consulted about the revision of an existing document originally intended for senior staff in editorial positions, there is no agreement on a BBC-wide trawl of all staff.

BECTU has written to the BBC outlining its objection to the process on two grounds:

• The online form appears to be on an insecure intranet site which contravenes the Data Protection Act.
• All staff are being told they have to complete the form while the attached guidelines suggest that only new starters (and those making a significant job change) will be asked to do so.

Union members have been urged to boycott the forms until the unions' objections have been dealt with - officials plan to raise the issue with senior BBC management at a routine meeting on June 12.