Lawyers ban bear from union website

BECTU has been threatened with legal action by the BBC for using an image of Pudsey Bear in a childcare campaign.

The graphic was used on the union's website to highlight efforts to prevent the BBC closing 7 nurseries used by staff across the UK.

Lawyers acting for the BBC warned that the image of Children in Need's mascot was subject to copyright laws, and would be the subject of legal action unless it was removed.

By the time Pudsey disappeared from BECTU's website more than 1,000 signatures had been received for an online petition demanding that childcare provision should be improved at the BBC, and staff continue to add their names despite Pudsey's untimely departure.

The BBC's decision to close all of its nurseries will mean the end of all childcare provision for BBC staff throughout the UK.

BECTU Supervisory Official Luke Crawley said: "It is ironic that a petition entitled Children in Need of Workplace Nurseries is being threatened with legal action, since hundreds of BBC staff work on Children in Need every year and the cooption of Pudsey Bear was seen as a way of showing up the BBC's hypocrisy. The Corporation supports one of the biggest UK children's charities but will not give any financial help to any of its staff who want to work and have children."

BECTU believes that managers acted cynically by revealing the shut-down plan only days after the BBC's high-profile Children in Need charity show had been screened on 17 November.

BECTU is campaigning against the closures and for nursery places to be made available for all staff with childcare problems. The BBC has argued that because places are only available for some parents, all nurseries should be closed. This is not an argument used by the BBC when discussing company cars for the executive board.

The BBC announced the closure of its nurseries in November. In future staff will still be able to join a "sacrifice salary" for child care vouchers that can be used at participating nurseries. The scheme is certainly tax efficient for the staff member, but for each one who signs up for the vouchers, the BBC will enjoy a significant reduction in its National Insurance bill and in effect will make a large cash saving.