Category: BBC
Date: 24.05.2005
Printable version
I thought you might appreciate a quick update on the industrial relations situation after yesterday's 24-hour strike by some members of staff.
As many of you may know, the impact of the action varied greatly around the BBC. Overall, 62% of those scheduled to work came in on Monday - though, as you can see from the attached chart, the numbers were significantly lower in some divisions and higher in others. Management and unions were in contact throughout the day and, with very few exceptions, picketing was orderly and good-humoured.
Overall there was slightly less disruption to services than we expected. News and live programmes were significantly affected, but there were no blank screens or dead airwaves. Much of the core schedule of our TV and Radio and Music networks continued without change and we maintained a good online service. On the other hand, we were unable to bring listeners some of Radio 4's key programmes and continuous news both on TV and Radio was very constrained in what it could cover; services in the nations and regional television magazine programmes were also particularly hit. We very much regret this loss of service to our audience.
As I wrote to you last Friday, we've always believed that the best way to resolve the issues that led to yesterday's action is around the table. The plans we have announced over the past few months were only reached after very careful analysis and thought and they're based on priorities we can't duck. The need to meet the financial targets we agreed with the Government for the existing licence fee settlement. The need to pay for the future vision for the BBC we set out in our bid for a new Charter.
But we have always recognised that it was important to hear the unions' perspective, to listen to their concerns and ideas and, if possible, work with them to find the best possible way of implementing the changes. That's why we were sorry when they broke off talks and decided instead to ballot for industrial action.
This morning we received an invitation to attend talks this Thursday with the unions at the arbitration, conciliation and advisory service ACAS, aimed at finding a resolution to the dispute. We accepted this invitation at once, without preconditions. We welcome the ACAS talks and will attend them in a positive and open-minded spirit.
We are keen to resolve this dispute so that we can get on with the task of building a strong and independent BBC for the future. That's certainly in the best interests of our licence-payers. I believe it's also in the interests of everyone who works for the BBC.
Mark
The chart below is in PDF format. You may need Adobe Acrobat software to read PDF files which can be obtained free from the Adobe Reader website
Numbers Working
