Consultative ballot papers were issued on 1 April 2011; only votes received at the Electoral Reform Services by 12 noon on Friday 15 April 2011 will be counted.

If accepted, the proposals under discussion, would provide for the preferable discounting of pensions paid early following redundancy.

For more details see the BECTU site.

S&PP (Studios and Post Production) management are proposing to close the Sport, Children’s and Post Production Services Pillars, with 72 posts ‘in-scope’ for TUPE transfer to the company that wins the contract to provide post production for the BBC at Salford.

The proposals would see post numbers cut from 334 to 211, along with the creation of a number of new positions.

Whilst BBC staff in other departments going to BBC North have, for the most part, been able to consider their options for more than two years, BBC S&PP staff have had to live with the uncertainty, and now have little time to make decisions.

Even now, those ‘in scope’ for a TUPE transfer do not know who their future employer might be.

BECTU is demanding that everyone affected by the loss of the Children’s and Sport work be treated fairly.

Union officials and ESPG representatives met SS&P management on 1 December to discuss the proposals.

The ESPG Committee will consider the proposals at their meeting this Monday morning.

This will be followed by a members drop session on Monday 6 December 2010, 1200-1400 in Room B551, Television Centre.

BECTU has received confirmation from management that:

• The formal consultation period begins as of 1 December 2010. The BBC policy applies concerning the 6 month minimum period before anyone facing redundancy will have to leave.
• Management will provide detail about the specific job titles included within the ‘in scope’ for TUPE group.
• Roles where 50% or more of the time is spent on Children’s or Sport work have been put ‘in-scope’.
• We will see draft job descriptions for new roles.
• We will get an updated organisation chart showing the structure and what roles will remain.

BECTU also asked for more information, including how will selection for new roles take place, will there be closed boards and who will be eligible to apply?

As a result of months of concerted effort by the Branch and the threat of collective action, acceptable resolutions have been achieved for all members who faced compulsory redundancy as a result of the New Business and Entertainment pillar restructure.

ESPG branch had served notice of an industrial action ballot on BBC Studios and Post Production and issued ballot papers.

The employer made a legal challenge to the validity of the ballot, which therefore was halted.

Prior to re-starting the ballot, BECTU continued to put pressure on the employer to work with the remaining individuals to mitigate the impact of their redundancy.

This resulted in some additional agreements for individuals and the notice of industrial action ballot was withdrawn at the end of August.

This follows strike action on 12 August 2010 at Elstree, held in protest at Studios and Post Production management proposals relating to changes in travel time and expenses connected with a change in base from Television Centre to Elstree.

For more details see the BECTU site.

Members took action yesterday (12 August 2010), and further stoppages are planned for Friday 20 August, Thursday 26 August and Wednesday 1 September.

Members are contesting the BBC Studios and Post Production’s management decision to remove long-established entitlements to travel time and expenses connected with a change in base from Television Centre to Elstree.

For more details see the BECTU site.

This follows consultative ballots in S&PP (Studios and Post Production) in which ESPG members overwhelmingly rejected both the New Business and Entertainment Pillar proposals, which could result in nine compulsory redundancies, and plans to change the base of those working on EastEnders to Elstree.

During recent negotiation, S&PP management rejected all union counter-proposals which had been tabled in an attempt to reach agreement.

Two ballots will now be held, which will close on 30 July 2010 – members are being recommended to vote yes for industrial action, and action short of strike action, to oppose both sets of proposals.

New Business and Entertainment

S&PP management have refused to extend the consultation period for nine members at risk of compulsory redundancy

BECTU have been in consultation with S&PP on restructuring within the New Business and Entertainment Pillar since the end of March 2010, which has resulted in 63 post closures and the creation of 19 new posts.

Whilst the majority of these post closures have been achieved through a combination of voluntary redundancy and redeployment into these newly created roles, there are nine members who remain at risk of compulsory redundancy, many of whom have now been served notice of dismissal.

The union believes that the majority of these posts, including Stage Door Co-ordinators, Scenic Supervisors and Stores Operatives, are still required going forward and would augment and improve the revised new structure.

The union proposed that these roles be retained in order to ensure that the duties and workloads of our members and the operational requirements of the business remain reasonable and realistic.

This would give the new system some required flexibility and also afford the opportunity to review the process at a later date, particularly in light of the future uncertainty and restructuring surrounding Salford.

Unfortunately management rejected this proposal and felt that there was no requirement for any of these roles in the future.

The union then proposed that the consultation period be extended by one month in order to maximize the opportunity for redeployment into other areas of the BBC.

Whilst S&PP maintain they are committed to doing everything they can to find them work within the BBC, the union is concerned that by serving notice of dismissal management are falling short of their obligations to members to mitigate any compulsory redundancies.

Elstree base

S&PP management are proposing to implement the change of base from Television Centre to Elstree for those working on EastEnders, with no cushioning period, from 1 August 2010.

Two sets of proposals tabled by the union during negotiation, covering core hours and uplifting basic salaries, have been rejected by management.

The management position is that the proposed reduction in hours would not work on East Enders operationally due to scheduling.

They also maintained that any uplift in salaries is not viable and were not prepared to investigate this further.

The union is extremely disappointed by the S&PP management position and their unwillingness to resolve this issue amicably.

The Branch will be holding a members meeting at Elstree next Thursday, 8 July 2010, at 1900 to discuss the situation in more detail.

Further meetings are also being organised at Television Centre, which will be announced when arrangements are confirmed.

Industrial action ballots

Two ballots are to be held with will run concurrently – one covering all S&PP members concerning New Business and Entertainment, and one covering the Elstree base proposals.

This will mean that members on the Drama pillar will receive two ballot papers.

Both ballots will open 9 July and close 30 July 2010, with papers being sent to home addresses.

The union has been in consultation with BBC S&PP (Studios and Post Production) regarding restructuring of the new business and entertainment and drama services.

This has led to a significant number of post closures although the majority of these have been achieved through a combination of voluntary redundancies and new posts being created.

However, there is a shortfall with several members remaining at risk.

BECTU is opposed to any compulsory redundancies of union members and believe that there is sufficient operational and business case justification to retain those roles which remain at risk alongside the new structure.

At a meeting on 7 June with management ESPG proposed that individual consultation periods be extended and move towards serving notice being postponed in order to maximize the potential to avoid any compulsory redundancies by reviewing these remaining post closures and consulting on redeployment and other ways of mitigating these potential job losses.

Unfortunately S&PP have rejected the proposals and, whilst they will be honouring their obligation to avoid compulsory redundancies during this period, the consultation period itself will not be extended.

This means that for those with three months contractual notice this could be served as early as 29 June 2010.

The Branch feels these timescales are too short and would inhibit the opportunity to avoid these redundancies and consult further on the restructuring.

As a result the union has registered a failure to agree and will be meeting S&PP next as part of the avoidance of dispute procedure.

The union will also be commencing a consultative ballot for industrial action and will be urging members to vote in favour.

A failure to agree has also been registered on the change of base proposal for those in the drama pillar.

To discuss the issues in more detail members meetings are being arranged, including one at 1300-1430 in Room B050 TC on Tuesday 22 June.

A meeting with Zarin Patel, Studios and Post Production Chief Financial Officer, has been described as ‘constructive’ by BECTU General Secretary Gerry Morrissey.

For more details see the BECTU site.

These staff had their salaries capped at 115% of their grade floor, and have reached this ‘cap’ some years ago.

As a consequence their salaries are not able reach the level of those they work alongside, doing the same job, who joined Resources before 2000.

The ESPG Committee believes this is fundamentally unfair.

The meeting will take place at 1100 on Monday 20 July 2009 in Green Room 3, Television Centre.

Members of the ESPG Branch Committee are organising the social for all current staff, as well as spouses, partners, colleagues, and many retired staff.

Download the invitation [49Kb pdf]

The party is a follow-on from the “official” farewell in a studio earlier that evening,  which is open only to existing staff.

The union will be buying members their first drink, and it is hoped that entertainment will be laid on at the event, due to start at about 1930 on June 16th. The Club bar is scheduled to close at midnight – one hour later than normal.

More than 100 staff are leaving Studios and Post as a the result of a cost-saving restructuring, not counting more than 90 others who have been TUPE transferred back into the BBC.

Text of the invitation to branch members:

As you probably know by now, there is a farewell party on the evening of June 16 to say goodbye to over 100 staff who are leaving due to redundancy.

We’re planning to continue the party that evening in the BBC Club at TV Centre, and an invitation is attached. It will be open to all Studios & Post staff, but union members will have the added advantage of a free drink.

Partners, spouses, colleagues, and retired staff are all welcome.

Among the modest entertainment we hope to lay on is a collection of historic photos capturing the work of members in Studios and Post over the years. If anyone has material that could be included, please contact one of the following:

• Tony Lennon (tony.lennon@mcr1.poptel.org.uk)
• Roger Mullins (bectthree@hotmail.com)
• Nick Carroll (nickespg@yahoo.co.uk)
• Henry Gibson (henry.gibson.email@googlemail.com)