Back in Medaevaltimes governments put out the eyes and ears of politicalprisoners. Now,all they think they have to do is to put out the eyes and ears of the British public: BBC programme makers.
NUJ members working for oppressive management
UNIONS TO STRIKE OVER BBC JOB CUTS
http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=898
BBC unions are to ballot for strike action unless the corporation halts plans for devastating job losses.
Union reps from the three unions – NUJ, BECTU and AMICUS – will deliver an ultimatum to BBC managers tomorrow to call a halt to job losses, guarantee no compulsory redundancies and protect the working conditions of staff who are outsourced. If they refuse the unions will ballot for action.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: "We will not accept cuts which decimate programmes, devalue the BBC, short-change licence fee payers, increase pressures on staff and worsen working conditions.
"Departments across the BBC struggle to fill rotas today – how will axing 20% of staff deliver better quality or value for money for licence fee payers?
"The BBC management have a window of opportunity to enter meaningful talks with staff representatives. If they slam the window shut we will act.
"If BBC management won’t stand up for staff and licence-fee payers – we will.
"This is a grotesque display of self-harm being inflicted across the whole of the BBC at the hands of an incompetent management".
A copy of the full ultimatum to the BBC is attached.
The BBC’s joint unions strongly condemn Mark Thompson’s outrageous, politically motivated cuts which fundamentally damage the BBC.
The BBC unions - BECTU, NUJ and AMICUS - who met on 23rd March have put the following to the BBC:
http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=899
Before any negotiations can proceed the BBC must agree to the following:
1. A 90-day moratorium on any further attempts to progress the redundancies at any level, including attempts to identify volunteers. During the period of the moratorium, existing staffing levels must be maintained, including the extension of all fixed term contracts and filling in behind attachments. In the meantime the BBC must begin meaningful consultation with the Joint Unions about why these post closures are necessary. This must include discussions on the future shape of the Corporation and a detailed explanation of how the BBC expects the existing level of work to be done in the future with 3,780 fewer staff.
2. No compulsory redundancies. Any post closures must be achieved by natural wastage and voluntary redundancies, with no right for the management to pick and choose who should go. Any reduction in staffing levels must not result in an increased workload for staff who remain. The phasing of any redundancies should be changed, and a comprehensive redeployment package should be agreed to minimise any job losses and provide the maximum opportunity for retraining existing staff.
3. We are opposed to outsourcing our members’ jobs but if it is to go ahead then the BBC must agree to write into all tender documents protection of terms, conditions, pensions and employment, no less favourable than those agreed for the sale of BBC Technology to Siemens.
4. We call on the BBC to bring forward their proposals for the future of the global news division including World Service, Monitoring and BBC World.
We expect a positive response from the BBC by Monday 4th April failing that we will register a failure to agree and move to an industrial action ballot.
National Joint Council
AMICUS
NUJ
BECTU
23rd March 2005
http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=898 BBC unions are to ballot for strike action unless the corporation halts plans for devastating job losses.
Union reps from the three unions – NUJ, BECTU and AMICUS – will deliver an ultimatum to BBC managers tomorrow to call a halt to job losses, guarantee no compulsory redundancies and protect the working conditions of staff who are outsourced. If they refuse the unions will ballot for action.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: "We will not accept cuts which decimate programmes, devalue the BBC, short-change licence fee payers, increase pressures on staff and worsen working conditions.
"Departments across the BBC struggle to fill rotas today – how will axing 20% of staff deliver better quality or value for money for licence fee payers?
"The BBC management have a window of opportunity to enter meaningful talks with staff representatives. If they slam the window shut we will act.
"If BBC management won’t stand up for staff and licence-fee payers – we will.
"This is a grotesque display of self-harm being inflicted across the whole of the BBC at the hands of an incompetent management".
A copy of the full ultimatum to the BBC is attached.
The BBC’s joint unions strongly condemn Mark Thompson’s outrageous, politically motivated cuts which fundamentally damage the BBC.
The BBC unions - BECTU, NUJ and AMICUS - who met on 23rd March have put the following to the BBC:
http://www.nuj.org.uk/inner.php?docid=899 Before any negotiations can proceed the BBC must agree to the following:
1. A 90-day moratorium on any further attempts to progress the redundancies at any level, including attempts to identify volunteers. During the period of the moratorium, existing staffing levels must be maintained, including the extension of all fixed term contracts and filling in behind attachments. In the meantime the BBC must begin meaningful consultation with the Joint Unions about why these post closures are necessary. This must include discussions on the future shape of the Corporation and a detailed explanation of how the BBC expects the existing level of work to be done in the future with 3,780 fewer staff.
2. No compulsory redundancies. Any post closures must be achieved by natural wastage and voluntary redundancies, with no right for the management to pick and choose who should go. Any reduction in staffing levels must not result in an increased workload for staff who remain. The phasing of any redundancies should be changed, and a comprehensive redeployment package should be agreed to minimise any job losses and provide the maximum opportunity for retraining existing staff.
3. We are opposed to outsourcing our members’ jobs but if it is to go ahead then the BBC must agree to write into all tender documents protection of terms, conditions, pensions and employment, no less favourable than those agreed for the sale of BBC Technology to Siemens.
4. We call on the BBC to bring forward their proposals for the future of the global news division including World Service, Monitoring and BBC World.
We expect a positive response from the BBC by Monday 4th April failing that we will register a failure to agree and move to an industrial action ballot.
National Joint Council
AMICUS
NUJ
BECTU
23rd March 2005
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
the BBC
25.03.2005 18:47
- -
Yeah, right on!
27.03.2005 15:09
Let's ensure that the only programmes which ever get made are "commercially viable" and don't offend the advertisers!
Moron. Ever wondered why The Sun wants the licence fee scrapped?
Rik out the Young Ones (BBC2)
Scrap the BBC poll tax
29.03.2005 22:00
Jo
piss off
01.04.2005 22:09
fin
Some information of use
20.05.2005 20:03
People get things wrong especially when they are at the receiving end of that injustice.
Amount of control of Licence Fee enforcement the BBC has 0%
Amount of control of Licence Fee enforcement the government has 100%
What you the end user are experiencing is a very nasty system which has been given orders to be just that, nasty, threatening, coercive and worse, this is part of the government reprisal for outing Bliar over Iraq and WMD.
The agency that collects the fees is a government one, not a BBC one, to create malcontent they have literally been given carte blanche to create hostility to the BBC the end recipient of the fee but not the collector.
Interestingly, the BBC have been pursuing Fox for what they are owed which is millions in unpaid fees to the licence fund and because Murdoch is mates with Blair have been told to get stuffed.
Why attack what is your's?
The government plan is simple, as usual sell off the good bits, pocket the cash and run whats left into the ground, in the wings we have Clearmedia which is being promised the ruins of the BBC, look what happened to Thames TV when it took on Thatcher and years later they were ousted off the airwaves.
Defend what is yours.
We have for the most part paid for the BBC so we should have a say, how many critics of the licence fee have Sky and don't even worry about paying £44 a month for 600 channels of shite BUT how many of those channels are fuelled by BBC programmes? UK network is pure BBC with a hint of ITV and C4 programming, what is the most watched channel on digital? UK Gold which is 99% BBC programmes.
Look at ITV now with its constant crap and sponorship messages, look at it twenty years ago when it had current affairs and documnetaries, homegrown comedies and cutting edge programming, then look at the pap it pumps out now.
If you want a decent TV channel then you as a citizen of the UK actually own part of one but YOU have to remind the government of your part ownership because people like Jowell, Thompson and even Blair will stand to pocket millions from the selloff of the bits of the BBC, this is money that YOU have paid, so if you believe in truth and justice, fight for your right to have independant programming and that means the right for them to tackle and expose people like Blair for what they are.
And of course you could continue just being Blair and Bush's tool because they see the BBC as their biggest obstacle hence the addition of a DG that has a very dubious past eg security services. (the BBC television centre is awash with MI5 & 6 "personnel" at the moment who are quietly identifying the troublemakers)
Ian Watson
Unity Injustice
Ian Watson
e-mail:
ian@watson011167.fsworld.co.uk
Homepage:
http://the-sellout-of-the-bbc.freelinuxhost.com/index.html
Further Information
26.05.2005 22:02
In the Daily Mail today a profound link was revealed...
(although I think the kudos is to the Standard for opening it up)
Is it proper that the husband of the culture Minister is being tried for corruption charges with a media mogul aka Mr Berlusconi the Italian PM, now we add this into the equation and it starts to look like another New Labour tactic to enrichen certain members on the backs of people who only did their job.
Now I am not aware of the details and intracies of the trial forthcoming in Italy regarding Mr Mills (Jowells Husband) but he has in this country abused the ministerial privilige and tried to influence a journalist by using his wifes office for his bona fides.
However... IF we look at Jowells main work at the moment, it is the clear and present line of destroying the BBC...! Why?
If her husband is involved with Berlusconi, Berlusconi would have more than a simple interest in seeing the BBC dissolved, in fact this could even be contrived in such a way that mr B is the one in the know and puts the right tenders and bids in for the carve up of the BBC.
Tessa Jowell's role has to be examined, Blunkett did less than her and resigned, she abused her office to assist her husband BUT if she is also bringing about the destruction of the BBC to assist her husbands business partner, is this the right thing?
The BBC is YOURS, not the governments, if the BBC is being sold off underhand in such a way, is this right, is this just?
If the government came in and sold off part of your garden without you knowing about it and then blaming you for the sale, telling you that it was your fault for letting them, how will YOU feel? Micro Vs. Macro but still a valid analogy.
We are dealing with the most corrupt government ever known in British history, they sold off a third of the MoD to Carlyle Group, they sell our data to the US intelligence services AND private corporations, plans are underway to invade Iran as stated by Scott Ritter but the sudden troop increase is NOT to train security services, it is to bolster the standing army when it crosses the border in June.
They have not listened to YOU, they never intended to and the final phase is about to begin...
Resistance is NEVER futile!
Ancient One
Ancient One aka I Watson
e-mail:
ancientoneuk@gmail.com