BBC pay talks continue

BECTU and NUJ representatives met management on December 16 to continue a series of meetings, which began with the annual pay settlement in August 2002.
The talks cover a new pay and grading system, as well as possible changes to Unpredictability Allowances (UPAs), which are paid to more than two out of five staff.
During this year's pay talks, BBC management promised that the 2003 pay increase would be improved by 0.5% if agreement had been reached on the pay structure and UPAs by August.
All staff directly employed by the BBC, except senior management, would be affected by any changes agreed in the talks, as will employees of the recently-incorporated BBC Broadcast Limited.
Staff in BBC Worldwide and BBC Resources are not covered by the talks, while BBC Technology Limited is sitting in on the discussions without deciding at this stage whether to implement any new system among its workforce.
In accordance with the communications policy agreed at the beginning of the negotiations a joint communique was issued following this week's meeting.
(GB)