Unions focus on BBC pay
Negotiators are making plans for a "significant" pay claim after this year's 2.8% offer met a mixed reception from union members.
Although BECTU members voted to accept the 2006 offer, which was linked to changes in pension entitlement for new staff, members of the NUJ journalists' union and Amicus gave it a thumbs down.
Union representatives, meeting in London on September 1, agreed to notify the BBC that pay increases below inflation were "unacceptable" in principle, and laid out a timetable for the 2007 pay round which demands that a final offer is tabled by management by the end of May.
This year's increase was overtaken by inflation in the time that elapsed between the end of negotiations and its arrival in pay packets.
The May 2007 deadline falls well before the pay anniversary date of August 1, and is hoped to allow detailed discussion of the BBC's budget plans for 2007 before they are set in stone.
Commenting on the BBC's pension plans, all three unions reiterated their opposition to a "career average" pension scheme due to be offered to new staff from November instead of the existing final salary pension.
This year's combined pay and pension offer was tabled by management in the face of a strike threat over an increase in retirement age and pension contributions for existing staff.
As part of the compromise package, plans to introduce a retirement age of 65, and raise contributions to 7.5% of salary have been shelved until unions and management have reviewed next year's actuarial review of pension scheme assets.
Statement on BBC pay issued by Amicus, BECTU, and NUJ on September 1 2006
1. The joint unions are disappointed that the BBC's pay award for 2006, implemented in August, is below the current inflation rate. We do not believe that this position is acceptable.
2. This below-inflation pay rise needs to be addressed at the earliest opportunity with the submission of a substantial pay claim for 2007 before the BBC finalises its budgets for the year. The unions are willing to accept the Director General's invitation to participate in detailed discussion of the BBC's budget plans.
3. The 2007 claim will be submitted soon after the formula for the BBC licence fee is announced by government, and the joint unions will specify a deadline of no later than May 31 2007 for a final offer to be tabled by the BBC.
4. Amicus, BECTU, and NUJ, re-affirm their opposition to the introduction of a career-average pension scheme for new staff from November 2006.
5. The unions are also opposed to any increase in pensionable retirement age for members of the final-salary pension scheme, and to any increase in staff contributions beyond the 6% rate introduced on September 1 2006.
6. The unions would expect to enter into discussions about pension provision once the outcome of the 2007 statutory valuation is known.