LWT pay ballot

BECTU LWT Branch is considering balloting on a new management offer to resolve the long-running pay dispute.

LWT (London Weekend Television) Branch has decided to put the new offer, which includes improved salary increase and London Weighting, out to a ballot of the membership subject to receiving clarification from management on a number of outstanding issues.

These issues include London Weighting and the possible consolidation of work pattern allowances. If the clarification is satisfactory the ballot will begin next week; if not a further meeting of the branch will be called.

The improved offer, delivered after talks at ACAS on 20 September, confirmed the company's willingness to offer an additional £140 on London Weighting backdated to 1 January 1998 to settle the 1998 dispute on pay as part of a package of proposals aimed at resolving both that dispute and the 1999 dispute. The proposed package includes:

• Consolidation of a further £250 on London Weighting from 1 January 1999 plus
• A further sum of £95 to increase London Weighting to £2750 with effect from 1 January 2000
• A 3.6 per cent increase on rates for 1999;
• A guaranteed 2.5 per cent increase from 1 January 2000 (subject to a minimum increase of £450; the RPI plus 0.5 per cent formula to be used in the event that inflation is greater than 2 per cent).

The revised offer also proposed new form of words on staff status and a commitment to give further consideration to the union's claim for consolidation of certain allowances. The package proposed also confirmed LWT's agreement to increase the minimum call for work on notional days from six to eight hours.

Tensions had mounted in the run-up to the meeting scheduled for 1 October as the union had called a two-hour stoppage in order to maximise attendance at a meeting off-site. BECTU had originally requested a meeting on site but the company had advised local officials that no studio was available.

Had the two-hour stoppage gone ahead LWT's transmission of the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup from Cardiff would have been under severe threat and serious disruption caused to several productions in studio. Speaking in advance of the meeting Sharon Elliott, BECTU supervisory official, said she was pleased that the union would now be able to consult its membership in the way the union had intended.

LWT is the UK ITV (Channel 3) weekend contractor company for London and the South East.