BBCT transfer ballot

Letter with ballot paper to Broadcast Engineering staff connected with Playout Support and IBS

Re: Proposed Transfer of Playout Staff from BBCT to BBCB

Following a number of meetings with management from BBC Technology and BBC Broadcasting Limited I am writing to you to let you know the final terms for the transfer of staff to Broadcast Ltd. A ballot paper is included with this letter so you can vote to accept or reject the proposal.

As you know following the decision by the BBC to seek a buyer for BBCT it was proposed to TUPE transfer the staff from Playout to BBC Broadcast Ltd.

There are 56 in total, including 5 PECS. After consulting with affected members BECTU initially resisted the proposal and at a meeting in March we were forced to register a failure to agree in order to prevent the management from rushing through the transfer by the end of April without any discussion of the detail. Following several subsequent meetings we have now arrived at the final position.

Pay

The management of BBCB have agreed that in addition to the pay rise of 2.5% and £400 already agreed with BBC Technology, staff transferring will also gain if the BBC pay rise due on August 1st 2004 is higher than that already received. If the BBC pay rise is lower then there will be no change. Whilst initially denying that they were contractually obliged to pay the second part of the bonus, £600 agreed with BBCT and due on 31st December 2004, after pressure from the union BBCB has agreed to pay the money on March 31st 2005, three months later, in recognition of the goodwill shown by the staff during and after the transfer period. As part of the whole package BBCB would expect to move the pay anniversary to August 1st 2005 for all staff who come across.

Scheduling

Responding to concerns raised by BECTU, the management of BBCB have agreed that following the transfer they have no plans to make any changes to scheduling prior to April 2005 and would only expect to have to make changes if the business required it. If that was the case then any proposals would be discussed in full with BECTU.

Job descriptions

New draft job descriptions for Broadcast Engineers have been circulated. These have not yet been agreed by BECTU. Discussions are continuing about the role and job descriptions for the PECS as they will have a different range of duties since they no longer work for BBCT.

Re-grading

BECTU raised several concerns about the grades of Broadcast Engineer and the PECS. The management response was that they could not address these issues prior to the transfer. If BECTU wished to raise it subsequently then the management would be prepared to listen but could not promise anything.

Accommodation

This has been a sore point raised by BECTU at each meeting. The responses have been disappointing with the management insisting that following the transfer you will be located in one of the few windowless rooms in the Broadcast Centre. As a result of the arguments put on your behalf both at the meetings and locally, management have tried to improve the room by installing better lighting and improving the acoustic screens. At the last meeting they announced that they had finally found the money to install two windows. This is a positive step but it remains to be seen how big they will be. If the transfer goes ahead this is doubtless an issue to which BECTU will return.

The ballot

As you can see from the above the management of BBC Broadcast Ltd have given undertakings on pay and other issues. It is now time for you to decide what happens next. BBCT intend to issue letters at the end of June so you will have one month notice of the transfer. If you are prepared to agree to being transferred from BBC Technology Ltd then vote YES. If on the other hand you do not want to be transferred then you should vote NO. Please return the ballot paper in the envelope provided to Luke Crawley at BECTU Head Office, 373-377, Clapham Road, London no later than 12 noon on Wednesday 23rd June. If there is a majority voting YES then I will write to the management and the transfer will go through according to their timetable. If there is a majority voting NO then BECTU will conduct a ballot for industrial action and having voted against the transfer you will need to vote for and take industrial action to try and persuade BBCT and the BBC that you should not be transferred from BBCT.

BBC Technology Ltd

There have been developments in BBCT which will mean that we will be balloting BECTU members there for industrial action. The reason for the dispute is the failure to give sufficient time to consult on the company sale and also a refusal to discuss our claims for protection. Because you may be transferring out of BBCT you will not be balloted on this issue.

Yours sincerely

Luke Crawley
Supervisory Official