BBC Lay Reps blog

Report of BBC Representative NEC, NJC and Chair Disabled Members’ Network Committee

NEC

The National Executive Committee is the place I represent BBC Members’ issues across our union. It is also the place from which we have access to Labour Ministers and MPs. The purpose of such access is to represent the best interests of the BBC, as put forward by those who work for the BBC, as opposed to those who ‘manage’ it. It is particularly important to lobby for the approval of BBC Local – new jobs and investment if it goes ahead: more redundancies if it doesn’t. It is vital that we continue to vocally oppose top slicing. Public broadcasting must be properly funded: it can not be allowed to become case of robbing ‘Peter’ to fund ‘Paul.’

National Joint Council – negotiating at national level

When “Creative Futures” negotiations started I fully expected them to breakdown rapidly considering just how far BBC management’s aims were from the joint unions’. After a lengthy game of brinkmanship, seemingly against themselves, BBC management finally came to an agreement, with us, that as a democratic trade union had to be put to our members.

A very high level of effort has since been maintained to rid management’s plans of any compulsory redundancies. Here mention must be made of reps Ian Black, for Factual and Learning, and Allan Johnston, in BBC Children’s, who have managed to reduce the number of those under threat, of compulsory redundancy, from hundreds to a “handful.” Such effort will continue until we reach zero.

Recruitment

I have been recruiting in Leeds, Hull, Manchester and Drama Village Birmingham. I hope to manage a lot more recruitment in the coming year and particularly to work on recruiting more activists.

Two areas of particular concern

The first is Workloads: just how much extra work is being undertaken by those who remain employed by the BBC. The second is the move out of London. New jobs and new investment in the nations and regions must be applauded. However we need to ensure the policy is credible rather than a spin exercise whereby, large numbers of our existing membership are relocated, just so BBC management can ‘appear’ to have created a more ‘nationwide’ workforce. In reality, with some genres, all management appear to be planning is a re-shuffle of the deck. For example management are considering the relocation of Casualty from Bristol to Cardiff, Holby from Elstree to Bristol and Doctors from Birmingham to Manchester!

Surely the BBC should be looking for programmes that are developed, produced and made in the nations and regions, by the nations and regions, to then be made available to our whole audience? If not then what does that say BBC management really think of talent outside London? That it is only good enough to make programmes developed, produced and imposed by London?

Also BBC management must not be allowed to use “Out of London” as the “cheap” option expecting more “flexibility” from a workforce, outside London, for less pay and worse conditions.

My particular areas of responsibility as lay official

Vision

The shadow of what happened last year, with the closure of BBC Children’s Education, loomed large over “Creative Futures” negotiations. The complete lack of imagination or commitment to the redeployment of the last 3 staff facing compulsory redundancies was not something BECTU was about to let BBC management forget especially as the same attitudes seemed prevalent in Vision management. The result, via the work of our supervisor official Helen Ryan and the reps Ian and Allan, has been both constructive and imaginative…….so far! However there are still handfuls of compulsory redundancies that need resolution.

There have been knock-on advantages in some managers actually working with the trade unions. Communication has improved in some areas and local liaison meetings have started once more between BECTU and BBC Children’s. A close watch will need to be kept on the movement of staff in Children’s to Salford: flexibility and alternatives for those who do not wish to go.

Elstree

The greatest pleasure, in across union working, has been the launch of the freelance recognition campaign at Eastenders. Freelance recognition at the BBC is in EVERYONE’s interests. As a member of BBC staff I have increasingly been aware of freelance craft input being used as the ‘cheap’ option. Freelance working for the BBC should be a choice not something imposed by management to downsize its own responsibilities and have its budget’s subsidised by freelance workers low wages and poor conditions.

BECTU has freelance recognition in Scotland, at The Natural History Unit in Bristol; Eastenders is next then maybe somewhere near you. Please help out with such campaigns when they come your way – they really are in your interests too.

I&A

There are still 2 areas facing VfM cuts. These areas are in on-line ordering where management are looking to close 2 posts. Likewise admin roles at the Broadcast Centre are to be reduced by 2. Press cuttings face outsourcing. BECTU will fight any enforced TUPE transfers. Hopefully, if management have learnt anything, then these issues will be resolved constructively by working with BECTU.

I&A branch have recruited new activists who are looking at new areas and new ways in which to work. For example I&A should have it’s first “Learning at Work Day” with branch learning rep James Coupland at I&A Windmill Road site.

Norwich

Agreement was finally reached concerning the single person operation of the U-pod. The first draft excluded, “with questions asked from the remote studio.” These seven words were hard fought for at English Regions when negotiating the single person operating guide lines. Norwich management duly corrected their omission.

This may sound a bit pedantic but attention to detail is how accidents are avoided and members protected. In this instance members are prevented from taking on too many roles to remain safe when working alone. Thanks must go to Mark Scrimshaw for his tenacity on the subject!

Wales: Cardiff and Bangor

Regarding “Creative Futures” management say they need 70 redundancies over 2 years. 140 employees have volunteered so BECTU can see no reason why the “required” redundancies should not easily be achieved without any compulsories. There is still one person under threat from VfM but we remain hopeful of permanent redeployment. Cardiff HR have been left in no doubt of the strength and commitment of BECTU Cardiff branch. Bangor branch has a new rep and I will be working with the branch to support and strengthen their branch structure.

Disabled Members Network Committee

The most important work of this committee at the moment is recruitment. In our competitive industry disability is still largely taboo. Workers do not declare because they are either, afraid of the effect on their careers, or they have a condition they do not consider “disabling enough” to count as yet. Workers with such conditions and often ‘soldier’ on regardless of the fact they have a legal right to reasonable adjustments that ease that extra effort and safeguard their health and safety.

The DMNC is starting a recruitment campaign called “There is NOTHING WRONG with being DISABLED” to try to raise awareness. Disabled workers now have rights and many of our members will be disabled, as defined in law, at some point or have dependants who are. It is important, as a trade union, that we do not let the BBC make ‘special cases’ of disabled workers who tick the right boxes at the expense of those who don’t. Also awareness amongst activists needs to be raided as Health and Safety and Disability can often work in tandem to the benefit of all members.

Personal Cases

Grievances: 7 Complaints of Bullying: 5 Disciplinaries: 3 Informal resolutions: 10