By Jo Best, 12 July 2004 12:05
NEWS Members of trade union Bectu (Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union) have voted overwhelmingly to go on strike following the news last week the BBC will be outsourcing its technology division to Siemens.
Over 80 per cent of BBC technology staff affiliated to Bectu voted in favour of strike action after the German company wouldn't meet its demands over pensions and guarantees of jobs for current BBC workers.
Bectu asked Siemens to guarantee that no BBC technology employees would be made redundant within three years but the company would only guarantee a one-year period before it would be able to introduce compulsory redundancies.
The union also demanded that terms and conditions remain the same for three years and for a pension scheme as the same as that at the BBC.
Siemens will introduce a "broadly comparable" pension scheme but turned down the 'no changes request' and equally said no to a request for 2.5 per cent above inflation pay increases for the three years.
The changeover is scheduled to take place on 1 September. However, according to Bectu, the "timeframe is too short and members have voted for industrial action in a bid to extend it", saying that it needs more time to work out its differences with Siemens.
While Bectu doesn't intend to pull out of further negotiations it will be announcing its plans for strike action this week.
The union has also expressed fears that the BBC's agreement with Siemens will unfairly affect the Beeb's future procurement exercises, removing the need in some areas for a competitive tender process.
Comments
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1. Simon
why is the BRITISH broadcasting company paying foreign companies for things that can be done in UK ???
Surely of all companies they should be keeping it British !!!
disgusting.
2. anonymous
Hurray,
Someone is FINALLY taking action. And a high profile firm such as the BBC will definitely mean that issues get aired, making more and more people aware.
I see it that this is just the start of things to come, with HSBC staff following suit, possibly BT and all the other high profile companies who have opted to maximise profits in return for putting people on the jobs scrap heap.
Hopefully, this spells out the death knell for outsourcing companies who cost BRITISH jobs.
Well done BBC staff, you have my full support.
3. anonymous
Well done BBC IT Staff. It is time more and more people took action to stop the rot. I have 2 young sons aged 7 and 10 and I am becoming concerned about their future in this country. First manufacturing was decimated now it seems we are seeing the beginning of IT and other services going the same way. We cannot all work in Supermarkets and Hotels !!
4. anonymous
We seem to have lost sight of some facts here folks...
The BBC outsources it's IT and broadcast services to BBC Technology, Siemens is buying BBC Technology and therefore the BBC contract that comes with it. BBC Technology also works for companies other than the BBC, mostly in a consulting/service provider role but my understanding is that they are free to compete for outsource work.
While it's very nice to enjoy the benefits of the BBC, the reality of it is that BBC Technology staff already work for an outsorce company and just happen to still enjoy some of the 'Corporation' benefits.
Saying that though, I'd be pretty worried about becoming part of the Siemens outsource organisation :o(
As for the "...BBC employing a bunch of foreign 'Johnnys'...", no one said anything about offshoring did they?
The BBC buys Dell PC's and HP servers should that be stopped too?
5. Paul Nixon
Global economics chaps. Not so long ago, people in the south of England were up in arms that their jobs were going to places like Gateshead and Ireland where the labour costs were cheaper. Unless companies can continue to compete competitively and still deliver first class customer service there will always be another player snapping at their heels; one of the reasons India is such a popular destination for off-shore solutions.
6. anonymous
The non-organized IT workers in the US are supporting and watching the BBC workers in their efforts to stand up to the outsourcing issue. There is a good website with a post about the plight where I found the story. Go to www.cyberlodge.org
7. Drew Edgar
British...what's that?
The U.K. / Britain is no more a country than the E.U. merely a political union of England, Scotland, the Principality of Wales & the province of Ulster.
What is "British" may well be the best of the 4 nationalities but in recent years this has been bastardised by minority & immigrant pressure groups who do not wish to assimilate our culture though welcome all the other benefits attendant upon being a subject of the Crown.
So please, get real about the acquisition of this BBC service company by one with headquarters on the Continent.
However, I feel strongly about the reported dilution of the employees pension rights which would NOT be tolerated on the Continent were the situation reversed; this amounts to constructive dismissal and would lead to mass protests in at least one country I can think of, mes amis.
8. Anon
This Outsourcing NONSENSE has GOT to STOP!!! When will common sense prevail and people (already overpaid Boards typically and greedy investors) realise that this continuing scourge of British jobs (AND data security) (i.e. outsourcing) will irrepairably wreck the British economy if left to continue unchecked?! PROTEST by refusing to use the goods and/or services of any company known to outsource abroad!
9. anonymous
Why stop there?...let's stop using anything not made here Anon!
No phone calls today, that PBX your company uses might be made by Siemens.
Is outsourcing 'in country' okay?
Would you support the staff of comapanies that currently outsource their broadcast operations to BBC Technology?
Media 'hype' and reactionary comment all fuels the fire ;o)
10. Glyn
We´ve lost Ship Building, Engineering, Manufacturing, and now financial institutes are going to Frankfurt,, hell,, why don´t we let everything else go and we can all start working at McDonalds or BurgerKing by 2010. Thats a good idea isn´t it, that should help pay the mega mortgages we all have to live in this Green and Pleasent land.
When are we going to wake up and smell the proverbial Coffee. NO MORE OUTSOURCING.