BBC'S THREE PER CENT PAY RISE ACCEPTED

MEMBERS OF BECTU and the NUJ have voted to accept this year's pay rise.
In two separate ballots, one for most of the BBC and another for BBC Resources, more than 80 per cent of members voted in favour of the three per cent increase.
The rise takes effect from August 1, and should appear in pay packets in the middle of the month.
Unions made no recommendation on accepting or rejecting the main BBC offer of 3 per cent with a minimum increase of £500, after a series of negotiations which started with an initial offer of 2.3 per cent.
In the BBC Resources ballot, members were positively urged to vote for the offer, which consists of the global 3 per cent rise, with another 2.5 per cent for 12 months starting in April 2002.
The wholly-owned BBC subsidiary company was recently freed to conduct their own pay bargaining with BECTU, and tabled the two-stage offer in return for agreement that their pay anniversary could move from August to April each year.
The two pay ballots closed on Wednesday July 25. BBC Worldwide, which holds separate pay talks, have imposed a 2.5 per cent increase on their staff. (CD)