ENFORCED REDUNDANCIES ON CARDS FOR BBC

BECTU have revealed that BBC London Operations management are still planning enforced redundancies in a number of areas.
Particularly at risk are Studio Resource Managers (SRMs), Studio Operation Managers and radio OB’s.
Management said since the last meeting on October 12 they had looked again at the response to the redundancy survey in Radio OB’s, but this had not led them to change their position, and were still proposing to make five enforced redundancies.
According to the Union, the BBC intend to carry out redundancy selection of Radio OB staff, probably by looking at the performance over a two-year period against a set of preordained criteria. Managers say they wanted to involve Senior Sound supervisors from Radio OB’s in this selection exercise.
It is understood that selection boards will be held for SRMs and Studio Operation Managers for the proposed posts of Research Managers and unsuccessful candidates could as a consequence be made redundant. The Union have proposed that current SRMs who have not responded to the redundancy should be automatically transferred to the new Resource Manager positions.
Administrative areas and Allocations management were proposing to board amongst this group for the new posts, including the planned Allocations positions and Assistant Resource manager posts. The Union said there may be enforced redundancies as a result of this exercise.
Management were proposing to issue notices for redundancy on October 31, 2000, with an exception that all affected staff would work through to March 31, 2001.
The Union’s consultative ballot of London Operations members found that 97 per cent of those responding opposed compulsory redundancies and changes in conditions of service. The Union claims 90 per cent of members are prepared to be balloted for industrial action against management plans.