Unions demand pay increase from BBC

Trade unions have called on the BBC to offer a "substantial" pay increase for employees to mitigate the "real resentment" among staff.

On Wednesday, BECTU general secretary Gerry Morrissey led the talks on behalf of the joint BBC unions about a 2011/12 pay deal, calling for an "across-the-board substantial increase above inflation for all staff covered by union agreements".

BECTU said that BBC staff have accepted flat-rate, below-inflation pay increases over the past two years, but the corporation must now make a more generous proposal.

Morrissey said that the BBC Executive should be in no doubt that there will be "real resentment" among staff if it does not put an attractive offer on the table.

"The rising costs of travel, food, fuel and the impact of the VAT increase, set against a period of two years of below-inflation increases and rising pension costs, mean that staff pay at the BBC has regressed," he said.

"The chancellor himself confirmed yesterday in his budget that CPI, the lowest measure of inflation, is set to range between 4% and 5% for 2011. BBC staff expect to see their incomes grow in real terms this year."

A formal claim for a pay increase was submitted to the BBC by BECTU, Unite and the National Union of Journalists last month after they consulted with members.

The claim highlighted the additional pressures BBC staff are under due to increased workloads resulting from the BBC's cost-cutting drive as it attempts to make up to 20% of savings. The unions also noted that many staff are being affected by the recently announced job losses at BBC Online and World Service.

BBC management will respond to the pay demands in May when they meet with officials from the trade unions.

In January, ITV staff voted to accept a 3% pay increase following a round of balloting at the trade unions, offsetting the threat of strike action.