Fresh talks held on BBC staff pension scheme changes

Unions have agreed to meet BBC management to discuss controversial changes to the staff pension scheme.
Responding to an ultimatum under which a strike ballot was planned if the Corporation refused to open netgotiations on the changes, the BBC has said: "We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the specific concerns the joint unions have...".
The proposals for new pension arrangements, currently undergoing a legally-required consultation with members of the scheme, involve raising the retirement age from 60 to 65 in 2016, and from October this year offering new staff a "career average" rather than final-salary pension.
Unions have emphasised that the BBC's £6.4 billion pension scheme is secure, can meet all its liabilities, and believe that the proposed changes are unecessary.
The BBC has been accused of introducing the changes in order to cut its long-term contribution to the staff pension sheme, while giving new staff pension benefits that are 30-50% less generous than the current retirement package.
Plans to ballot for industrial action have been postponed while talks resume, but unions have warned that, unless the BBC is willing to negotiate significant compromises to its proposals, industrial action could lie ahead.
Despite the ballot being shelved, briefing meetings around the country are still planned, so that union officials can explain the true situation of the BBC pension scheme to members.
(GB)