Deception surprise attacked

BECTU has attacked broadcasters for feigning surprise about revelations of viewer deception over the past few days.

This follows the confession by the BBC to a further list of incidents where viewers have been deceived over television programmes.

BECTU's General Secretary Gerry Morrissey said: "How can the BBC or any other broadcaster expect employees who have little or no job security to expose the activities that have come to light?

"The situation is of senior management's making where, over recent years, there has been reduced investment in training and a significant increase in short-term contracts leading to a feeling of little or no job security."

Only 2,700 of the BBC's 26,000 workforce are over the age of 50 - more than 10% of workers.

BECTU believes there has been a deliberate policy to make redundant experienced employees who earn higher salaries and have more job security and pension entitlements.

Assistant General Secretary Luke Crawley commented: "Each year across the industry billions of pounds are handed over to the independent production sector with few checks and balances put in place.

"We continually raise our grievances with the employers about the lowering of standards and abuse of young workers in the industry. Budgets have been squeezed, quality has been compromised and these events demonstrate a lack of integrity."

In response to press reports that up to one dozen production staff are likely to be suspended pending disciplinary action as a result of revelations by the BBC's Director General Mark Thompson, Helen Ryan, Supervisory Official for the union's BBC Division said: "BECTU will robustly defend members facing disciplinary action.

"The responsibility for this lies at the top, not with the over-worked, under-resourced production staff who are under severe pressure to have their contracts renewed."

She continued: "It is not acceptable to us that there will now be retrospective penalties on this matter that management have failed to police properly."