Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> Pensions >> Union worried about pension scheme http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1140806154 Message started by Forum Admin on Feb 24^th, 2006, 6:36pm

Title: Union worried about pension scheme
Post by Forum Admin on Feb 24^th, 2006, 6:36pm

This is taken from "Broadcast":

BECTU SLAMS THOMPSON OVER PENSION REMARKS
by Geoff White

Broadcasting union Bectu is opening a second front in its dispute with the BBC, adding the corporation's pension scheme to the row over compulsory job cuts.

BBC director general Mark Thompson has warned that the current final salary scheme may be wound up and that the corporation's occupational pension scheme is "subject to affordability".

His comments, made in /Ariel/, the corporation's in-house magazine, have sparked concern among staff, who face paying higher pension contributions to top up the fund.

Bectu has demanded a meeting to discuss the issue, and believes dissatisfaction with pensions will add fuel to the row over compulsory job cuts planned as part of Thompson's corporation-wide cutbacks.

Unions have whittled down the numbers threatened with compulsory redundancy from around 225, but still believe they are "the wrong side of 100".

"We can try to make pensions a bigger issue overall, though it would require a new ballot," said Bectu assistant general secretary Gerry Morrissey, "staff might be more worried about pensions than about 100 job cuts."

The union is also threatening industrial action over plans to outsource HR and support staff to private firm Capita, which wants to move 100 staff to Belfast. Staff have been warned that if they do not move to Belfast they may be put on non-BBC contracts, sparking concern at Bectu.