Resources ballot on pay

I am writing to set out the final pay offer from BBC Resources Ltd for 2006-7. There is a ballot paper included which will give you the opportunity to express your opinion on the offer. The union negotiating team does not think that the offer on the table is a good one and that is why we are not recommending you to accept it. However we do not think it is such a bad offer that it should be rejected which is why we are leaving it to you the membership to decide.

The company has made it clear that it has no more money to put on the table. However we are aware that the 13.8% increase in total pay awarded to the chief executive of the company last year has caused a considerable amount of anger amongst members. We believe that the offer is the best that can be achieved through negotiation and to improve the offer will require you take strike action. I enclose a ballot paper, please use it to let us know what you think.

The offer

Following the final meeting with management the offer consists of an across-the-board increase of 2.5% which would be applied to night hours, UPA, Christmas day payments etc. The union claim covered all of our members employed by Resources Ltd and we expect any increase to apply to everyone. Management have continued to maintain that members on SFS contracts are not covered by collective bargaining for pay but, yet again, they are offering the same percentage increase to those members.

London Weighting would be increased by slightly more than the rate of inflation with a new figures of £3,700 (2005 £3,600) for those on £22,000 and below, and £3,300 (2005 £3,200) for those on £22,001 or more. The 1998 ACAS agreement is extended to March 31st 2007 so that anyone selected for redundancy would have five months in which to seek redeployment.

As part of our claim we also asked to have trainees covered by the same scheduling protection from day one of their employment but the management refused to agree to this.

Conclusion

As you can see the offer has good points as well as bad. It is just ahead of inflation which is currently 2.4% but it falls some way short of the original claim of 13.8%. It is important that you vote, and that you understand the consequences of voting. If you vote YES, the package will be implemented on 1st April. If you vote NO, the management have said it is their final offer, and that will mean BECTU will be balloting you for industrial action, and if you vote to reject the offer you must be prepared to vote YES to industrial action.

Please ensure your completed ballot paper is returned to BECTU Head Office no later than Wednesday 8th March at 12 noon.

This letter has been sent to you because our records show you to be an employee of BBC Resources Limited. If this is not the case, please email dlockwood@bectu.org.uk and let us know.

Further details are on the BECTU website at www.bectu.org.uk

Luke Crawley
Supervisory Official