PDP threat lifted

A threat of industrial action over abuse of a multiskilling agreement has been lifted.

A recent meeting with management over the agreement, covering personal digital production (PDP) equipment in the English Regions, was described at "constructive" by union representatives.

BECTU and the NUJ had complained that the agreement on the use of DVPro cameras and desktop editing had been breached in many English Regional centres.

Unions said that PDP material was displacing normal footage, and editors had to "rescue" flawed packages.

At the meeting the BBC agreed to table new guidelines with clear limits on the use of PDP techniques, and the unions shelved plans for an industrial action ballot while talks continued.