WS staffing levels reviewed

Meetings on World Service staffing and reward during the current crisis have taken place.

Meetings have been held with World Service management to review staffing levels and rewards for work undertaken during the present crisis. On 12th October 2001, Tim Warburton (BECTU), Paul McLaughlin and Pierre Vicary (NUJ) met with Lesley Granger, Pam Sikora, Linda Mabley, David Morton, Barry Langridge and Elizabeth Wright.

Rewards

The unions wanted to emphasise that staff were fully committed to their work during the current crisis. Staff appreciated that Mark Byford had taken the time to express his appreciation for their hard work and commitment, but they would also want to be rewarded for their increased effort.

The trade unions would want to discuss the principles underpinning the allocation of any payments to staff and they would expect this to be done in an equitable and fair manner, rather than rewarding some and not others. Consolidated payments would be even more welcome.

This applied equally to BBC Monitoring and the unions reminded World Service management that ALL staff at Caversham are World Service employees. This included engineers, technical staff, computer services, catering, security and receptionists. These staff had also increased the level of their work.

Lesley Granger said that Mark Byford, was extremely grateful for the effort and professionalism being shown by World Service staff during the present crisis. He had made a case for additional funding from the FCO in order to meet the increased costs of the extra programming, particularly in Persian, Pashto and Urdu. Mark had given an undertaking to look at the possibility of awarding bonuses to staff towards the end of the year, when both the funding and the operational situation were clearer.

Support and counselling

The unions asked that all staff be made aware of the support and counselling facilities. Lesley Granger said that the issue of support for staff who were exposed to traumatic incidents was on the agenda for the next Health and Safety meeting and World Service would be making proposals about any additional action that may be necessary to deal with these unusual events. In the meantime, counselling support was available through PEC.

Payment for Work on Off-Duty Days

The trade unions had asked for special arrangements to be put in place during the period of the crisis, for the payment of staff working shifts on off duty days. Lesley Granger said that the practice of delaying payment for work done on off duty days until the end of a three month accounting period could be suspended during the current crisis. She emphasised, however, that we would operate within the constraints of the scheduling agreements and Working Time Regulations. [This has since been agreed.]

Recruitment for crisis programming

A number of campaigns have been launched but there will be an inevitable delay before staff arrive in Bush House. To cover the requirement, some part time staff have been asked to increase their hours; some staff are being brought back to London from overseas offices; and management had approved a limited number of appointments for former members of staff who were able to come back for short periods until more staff are recruited.