BBCT list responses

Letter from Siemens to the BBC

19 August 2004

Gillian Alford
BBC
Media Centre Village 201
Wood Lane
W12 7TQ

17 August 2004

Dear Gillian

Re. BECTU Secondary Issues

You have asked us to respond to the letter dated 6th August 2004 from Gerry Morrissey. We hope our response provides clarity to the points raised.

1a&b. Childcare

Siemens can confirm that there will be no change to nursery placement arrangements held as at the date of the BBCT sale or transfer of the BBC staff. These arrangements will be reviewed post acquisition/transfer with adequate notice should any changes be made. BBC have confirmed that no new nursery places will be made available to Siemens post acquisition/transfer. Siemens currently participate in a discount scheme whereby employees are eligible for 10% discount on the fees associated with Jigsaw, Leapfrog, Princess Christian and Petite Enfants Nurseries. Siemens are pleased to confirm that those staff currently employed by BBCT and those transferring from BBC will be eligible for these discounts upon acquisition/transfer.

1c. As per the terms and conditions matrix supplied to BECTU on 8 July 2004, there will be no change to Agreed Statement B5a 'Maternity, Paternity and Associated Benefits' will remain unchanged upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff.

2. Season Tickets

Siemens are pleased to confirm that an interest free season ticket loan scheme will be available to BBCT staff and BBC transferring staff. Whilst it is our intention to transfer outstanding loans as at the date of sale/transfer for individuals to continue repayments for the term of the loan, Siemens are currently reviewing the mechanism to achieve this.

3. BBC Job Vacancies

For BBC to respond.

4. BBC Club

Siemens can confirm that current BBC Club memberships will continue as at the date of the BBCT sale or transfer of the BBC staff. These arrangements will be reviewed post acquisition/transfer with adequate notice should any changes be made.

5. Personal Records

For BBC to respond.

6. London Service Desk

Siemens is proposing a dedicated virtual service desk to be collocated at the existing BBC facility in Bristol, and the existing Siemens facility in Durham. This service will be a single point of contact for all queries from the BBC user community, and in essence will manage the logging and management of incidents, provision of advice, guidance and the management of requests for service.

Siemens has a well established global strategy around the provision of Service Desk services (Customer Interaction Centres) for Information and Communication services, and is undertaking a major programme of consolidation, process and toolset standardisation, and agent performance and productivity management. Through this strategy, it is delivering significant benefits and service enhancements within its centralised Service Desk locations. There is a Siemens program for the Service Desks to work towards the ITIL standards with the aim of achieving BS15000 accreditation. Siemens will maximise the benefit of these activities for the BBC by migrating aspects of this shared service model including dedicated toolsets over time to our established facility in Durham, whilst maintaining the current Bristol operation. The use of existing facilities and maximising the integration of the existing and new toolset technology will realise cost savings.

Moving the Service Desk to Durham from White City while maintaining Bristol will realise a significant saving in the location costs and will complement the Siemens Service Desk at the Durham facility.

Siemens short term plan from the commencement of the contract, is to operate the Core Support services 'as-is' for an initial period of six months transition to maximise on the best practices, service standards and customer satisfaction already established by BBCT. During the transition period, while the core services are operating from White City and Bristol, Siemens will initiate a knowledge share programme, identify and resolve any gaps in processes and procedures, and undertake a Service Desk process improvement study against industry best practice.

To realise the savings and maximize operational efficiencies it is our medium term plan to install new and existing tools during the first two years of the transformation and to commence the migration of the Service Desk capability from White City to the Siemens Durham and BBC Bristol location. The Bristol and Durham facilities will operate a 'virtual' Service Desk model, enabling Siemens to deliver a resilient, single point of contact for the BBC. We currently envisage that this will be completed two years after the start of the contract.

In the first instance, Siemens will continue the BBCT approach of replacing posts in London with posts in Durham and Bristol for new recruits and as people resign, change role or retire.

7. Long Service Awards

As per the terms and conditions matrix supplied to BECTU on 8 July 2004, there will be no change to long service awards benefits upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff.

8. Flexible Working

As per the terms and conditions matrix supplied to BECTU on 8 July 2004, there will be no change to Agreed Statement B6a 'Flexible Working' upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff.

9. Healthcare

Unfortunately, Siemens do not have similar arrangements and therefore cannot replicate the BUPA benefit. This benefit will cease upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff. The BBC has however agreed with BUPA to continue a discounted rate to those BBC and BBCT staff currently already in the Options/Options Plus BUPA scheme.

10. Parking Facilities

Siemens can confirm that there will be no change to parking arrangements held as at the date of the BBCT sale or transfer of the BBC staff. These arrangements will be reviewed post acquisition/transfer with adequate notice should any changes be made.

11. Attachments

For BBC to respond.

12. Computer Facilities

Upon acquisition of BBCT, the network connection between the BBC network and Siemens will not support the Siemens intranet, internet or email until well into the integration period. During the first 30 days a 'thin pipe' will support a small number of business critical users. Following the date of sale, both BBC and BBCT users will continue to use internet, email, webmail, RAS and MyConnect services on their existing BBC/BBCT service. These services will be migrated to the Siemens services within the integration period post acquisition.

13. Personal Cases

For BBC to respond.

14. Staff Discounts at BBC Shops

For BBC to respond.

15. Transport

Due to tax dispensations Siemens 'Expenses' Policy will apply to those employed within BBCT and those transferring from BBC with effect from the date of sale. This policy does provide for late night transport provisions.

16. Data Privacy

For BBC to respond.

17. ID Cards

BBCT staff employed in solely occupied premises will retain their BBC identity badges on the date of sale which will allow them full access within their current BBCT buildings. BBCT/BBC staff employed in shared occupied premises will also retain their BBC identity badges on the date of sale which will allow them the same access rights as currently held. These arrangements will be reviewed post acquisition/transfer with adequate notice should any changes be made.

18. Local Agreements and Arrangements

Local formal written agreements in place prior to acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff will remain unchanged as at the date of sale. Current collective bargaining arrangements will transfer to Siemens Business Services as at the date of sale.

19. Leave

As per the terms and conditions matrix supplied to BECTU on 8 July 2004, there will be no change to the corporation day entitlement upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff.

20. Telephone Facilities

Siemens 'IT and Communication Systems' Policy will apply to those employed within BBCT and those transferring from BBC with effect from the date of sale. Under this policy 'fixed line and mobile phones are provided for business purposes. Personal use of Company telephones should, therefore be kept to a minimum, must not interfere with job performance and wherever possible be conducted outside of working hours. Use of 'premium' lines, for example chat lines, weather and sport information, not necessary for work purposes is not permitted'. Any new mobile phone requests as from the date of sale will be provided under current Siemens procurement arrangements.

21. Pay

As per the terms and conditions matrix supplied to BECTU on 8 July 2004, there will be no change to the pay date on 15th of the month upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff. Local formal written agreements regarding pay progression in place prior to acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff will remain unchanged as at the date of sale. With regard to business expenses incurred Siemens 'Expenses' Policy will apply to those employed within BBCT and those transferring from BBC with effect from the date of sale.

22.

For BBC to respond.

23. Redundancy/Redeployment

As per the terms and conditions matrix supplied to BECTU on 8 July 2004, Agreed Statement G5a 'Redundancy Procedures and Payments' will remain unchanged upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff. In our previous letter we have already given 3 year commitments regarding substantive terms and conditions of employment with the exception of the list as indicated in our letter of 19 July 2004.

24. Pay Negotiations

Current collective bargaining arrangements will transfer to Siemens Business Services as at the date of sale.

25. Expenses

Due to tax dispensations Siemens 'Expenses' Policy will apply to those employed within BBCT and those transferring from BBC with effect from the date of sale. This policy is based upon reasonable expenses to be reimbursed provided they were actually incurred and is therefore comparable with current arrangements.

26. New Staff

We can confirm that we will replicate the substantive terms and conditions of employment of the BBCT acquisition/BBC transferring staff as at the date of sale with the exception of the Pension scheme.

27. Training

As per the terms and conditions matrix supplied to BECTU on 8 July 2004, Siemens will retain current commitments made for educational training already in progress for the period of that training upon acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff. Siemens will undergo a due diligence process to identify other formal training commitments which will be reviewed post the date of sale. Formal written salary commitments made prior to acquisition of BBCT/transfer of BBC staff will be retained as at the date of sale.

28. BBC Benefits

For BBC to respond.

29a. Pensions

In relation to our 3 year commitment, we do not believe that members retiring from the Tower Plan will be treated any differently to those retiring from the BBC scheme.

29b. We are pleased to confirm that the track-record in Siemens has been good in that the Company has always increased its contributions at least in line with the actuary's recommendations, and has been prepared to inject significant one-off lump sums into the pension scheme. The new FAS funding basis for the Scheme is stronger than that used for funding by many other UK pension schemes, including the BBC. Although the Scheme may have a sizeable deficit on this basis, this may not be the case on bases used by other schemes, as was demonstrated during the discussions with the BBC on the relative funding positions. The fact that Siemens is (over time) targeting 100% fully funded on the FAS basis should give additional comfort and reassurance to Scheme members.

29c. Increases to pensions will be consistent with legislation. Currently this provides for increases at 5% or RPI if lower.

29d. Siemens would not be prepared to provide Independent Financial Advice.

29e. For BBC to respond.

29f. We have already provided details of the death in service cover which we are prepared to offer.

Yours sincerely

Barry Yard
Group Account Director
Siemens Business Services

Letter from BBC to BECTU

19 August 2004

Mr L Crawley
Supervisory Official
BECTU
BBC Division
373-377 Clapham Road
London
SW9 9BT

Dear Luke,

Proposed Sale of BBC Technology – Outstanding Issues

Further to Siemens letter of 19th August, please find attached the BBC's response to those issues raised in Gerry Morrissey's letter of 6th August that Siemens indicated the BBC would answer. (The numbers in parenthesis refer to the numbered paragraphs in Gerry's original letter).

(3.) BBC Job Vacancies

Staff should be able to apply for internal vacancies on the same basis as BBC staff.

There will be no restriction on ex BBC/BBCT staff applying for jobs advertised in Ariel or on the BBC website where these are not specifically restricted to BBC staff. Once they are employees of Siemens they will not be eligible to apply as internal candidates and should ex BBC/BBCT staff subsequently return to the BBC they would not have continuity of service.

(5.) Personal Records

As with the LST transfer we will only expect the basic information to be transferred and it should be agreed with the individual employee what is transferring.

Siemens have informed us that they would not be seeking any data that would be questionable under the Data Protection Act and will only seek the minimum historical data to ensure they have full career histories and are clear on any liabilities that may transfer. It will be made clear what information is transferring

(9.) Healthcare

As a BBC employee staff currently can get a discount on BUPA healthcare, how do Siemens intend honouring this in the future?

Siemens have explained in their letter that they will not be able to honour this benefit. However, the BBC has reached an agreement with BUPA that those staff are already members of BUPA through Options or Options Plus will be able to continue to receive discounted cover post transfer. For those who are members through Options (make payments directly to BUPA via direct debit) there will be no change.

Those who are currently members through Options Plus (payment is made to BUPA by deduction from salary via the BBC payroll) will need to convert to Options membership from the date of transfer. BUPA will write to these individuals with the necessary forms and for these individuals there will be a small decrease in their current level of discount from 54% (Options Plus rate) to 47% (Options rate) off the normal BUPA rates.

(11.) Attachments

Will it be possible for staff to have attachments to the BBC?

Ex BBC/BBCT staff will not be able to participate in the BBC Attachment Scheme as this is solely for BBC Staff. Siemens operate their own internal secondment scheme and BBC/BBCT staff joining Siemens will be able to participate in Siemens scheme. If it were to be considered mutually beneficial, secondments between Siemens and the BBC may be possible in the future.

(13.) Personal Cases

Any ongoing or pending disciplinaries and grievances should be concluded prior to the date of transfer. Nothing should be transferred to Siemens associated with uncompleted cases.

BBC Technology will endeavour to conclude any current or lodged disciplinaries and grievances prior to the date of transfer. However, any ongoing cases will transfer in order that they can be concluded as it would not be reasonable to leave such matters unresolved. They will be treated with the appropriate level of confidentiality and action will be taken to ensure that, other than relevant HR Professionals, only those individuals directly involved in each case will be in possession of any information relating to it.

(14.) Staff Discounts at BBC Shops

We assume that the above will continue for staff transferring to Siemens.

BBC Worldwide have confirmed that only BBC employees are eligible to receive the discount on products from the BBC Shop.

(16.) Data Privacy

All data that has been collected personally on the BBC systems should be protected, by either the individual retaining their current computer system or by having assistance in transferring it to a new system.

BBC Systems are provided for the furtherance of BBC duties and activities. However, should individuals have any personal data on their BBC systems, this data will be treated in the same way and with the same level of confidentiality and security as any BBC data that will be transferred to Siemens systems. It is therefore up to individuals to make arrangements to remove this data/save it to CD etc in the same way as they would if they were exchanging their present BBC PC/laptop system for a new one at the end of its lease.

(22.) Pay

Staff returning to the BBC should be granted continuity of employment including previous BBC and Siemens service.

This will not be possible as there will clearly have been a break in BBC employment. Previous BBC service will count towards service required for Additional Leave and Long Service Awards.

(28.) BBC Benefits

Transferred staff are expecting to continue to use a number of BBC facilities that fall outside conditions of service. These include BBC options, online shopping facility, car purchase scheme access to subsidised restaurants and tea bars, occupational health and BBC dentist.

Any BBC benefits that apply only to BBC staff (which will include the Options/Options Plus benefits) will not be available to staff once they have transferred to Siemens. Individuals who currently have My Drive cars will be able to transfer their monthly payments to direct debit (subject to credit checks which will be carried out by the My Drive provider Alphabet). Transferred staff will no longer have access to My Drive, however Siemens do have competitive price offers with car suppliers along with other corporately negotiated employee discount schemes.

At this moment in time we envisage that transferred staff will still have access to BBC restaurants and tea bars whilst they work from BBC buildings and we see no reason why they should not be able to continue to use the Dentist based in White City. Please note this is not a 'BBC Dentist', but a Dentist who rents space in a BBC building in the same way Auntie's Blooms does.

Transferred staff will not be able to use BBC Occupational Health Services.

(29e.) Pensions

In the event of an employee returning to the BBC we would expect them to be able to join the BBC scheme they left and that in the event of them transferring their Siemens pension, then it would be treated as no break with a year for year transfer value.

Anyone rejoining the BBC does so on the prevailing terms and conditions at the time. The same is true for pensions. Anyone rejoining the BBC Pension Scheme will (currently after a period of 2 years) be given the option of transferring their pension on the prevailing transfer rates at the time.

Yours sincerely

Gillian Alford
Head of Employee Relations & Policy