BBC Resources two year pay ballot
BBC Resources members are bring balloted on a pay offer "almost identical" to that recently accepted by members in the rest of the BBC.
Television Centre: BBC Resources headquarters (Picture: Tony Scott)
Negotiators are recommending members vote for the two year pay offer which includes a 4% increase this year and 2% in 2008.
As part of the package increases in pension contributions equal to 1.5% of salary, which were due to take effect in September this year, will be postponed to 2008.
The ballot closes 1200 20 July 2007, with papers being distributed to members' home addresses from today (6 July).
Letter to BBC Resources members: Pay ballot 2007-2009
5 July 2007
I am writing to set out the final pay offer from BBC Resources Ltd for 2007-9. There is a ballot paper included which will give you the opportunity to express your opinion on the offer. This is a two year pay deal that is conditional on the Retail Price Index (RPI) figure for April 2008 (published in May 2008) being at or below 2%. If RPI is above 2% then we have the right to submit a fresh pay claim for August 1st 2008 in addition to what is on offer here. This offer is conditional on BECTU making a positive recommendation so we are advising members to vote YES to this offer. The company has made it clear that it has no more money to put on the table. I enclose a ballot paper, please use it to let us know what you think.
The offer
The offer (which is almost identical to that in the BBC) consists of 4% across-the-board with a minimum increase of £1,000 this year. The minimum amount means that around 270 staff on basic pay of £25,000 or less will get a rise of more than 4% in basic pay. The 4% would be applied to night hours, UPA, Christmas day payments etc and the rise would be backdated from April 1st 2007. The increase will apply to everyone including our members on SFS contracts. The only difference from the BBC offer is the consolidated payment of £400 which would be made in April 2008 as compensation for moving the pay anniversary to August 1st. There will be a further increase of 2% on pay and all related allowances from August 1st 2008, subject to the RPI figure published in May 2008, if it is above 2% then we can submit a further pay claim for August 1st 2008 in addition to what is on offer here. If it is at or below 2% then our next pay claim would be for August 2009.
There are above-inflation increases to London Weighting (LW) as well as an increase in the threshold for the higher amount from £22,000 to £25,000. Those on less than £25,000 would see a rise of 7.5% to £4,000 LW (currently £3,700) whilst those on £25,000 and above would see a rise of 4.8% to £3,468 LW (currently £3,300). There would be a further increase to LW of 2% in August 2008. These changes mean that in future around 270 staff will receive the higher level of London Weighting up from 180. As a result of the union negotiations with the BBC the proposed increase in pension contributions for Resources staff from 6% to 7.5% has now been deferred until September 2008.
The 1998 ACAS agreement is extended to March 31st 2008 so that anyone selected for redundancy would have five months in which to seek redeployment. In addition to the above we are aware that in July the company will be paying a bonus to all staff of £750.
Conclusion
In considering how to vote you should be clear that this is a conditional two year deal that depends on the inflation figure in May 2008. If RPI is still above 2% then we can submit another pay claim in year two and if the company does not negotiate seriously then we will ballot for industrial action. However we are conscious that in year one the headline figure is still just below inflation (currently 4.3%) but the £1,000 minimum and the improvements in London Weighting mean that many members will see an increase at or above inflation. In addition to that Resources Ltd tabled this offer on condition that we adopted a positive attitude to it and so we are recommending a YES vote in the ballot.
Please ensure your completed ballot paper is returned to BECTU Head Office no later than Friday 20th July 2007 at 12 noon.
BECTU has been in negotiations with the BBC and Resources Ltd management over the guarantees and protections surrounding the proposed sale of Resources. I will be writing to you shortly to inform you of the outcome of those talks.
This letter has been sent to you because our records show you to be an employee of BBC Resources Limited. If this is not the case, please email [email protected] and let us know. Further details are on the BECTU website at www.bectu.org.uk
Luke Crawley
Assistant General Secretary