 |
|
| CURRENT SECTION :: News |
The No. 1 Resource for UK IT Contractors: Comprehensive guides - Daily news IT contract jobs - Market rates - Forums - IT contractor network - Calculators |
|
 |
More than 200 IT contractors working at the BBC for Siemens, the sole technology provider of the broadcaster, were yesterday asked to vote on a 24-hour strike over pay. Announcing the ballot, Bectu said it had no choice but to consider the action after Siemens contractors were told of a pay freeze on the back of 70 contractor layoffs. The ballot will run until March 19 and the union is advising members to vote in favour of the walkout, which could cause disruption to the broadcaster’s services. All of the affected contractors work on a £2 billion outsourcing agreement, which was signed by the BBC five years ago after it sold its own technology arm. But an additional 50 techies working in server management for the BBC could also lose out, as Siemens is reported to be looking at sending their roles offshore. A pay deal equalling the Retail Price Index, currently standing at 3.7%, should be made available to all BBC techies, Bectu says, plus 2% for the remaining contractors. Such non-permanent IT workers at Siemens were recently told their pay would be frozen across the board, despite cost-cutting in the four months to January claiming 70 of their roles. Reflecting on what it called a “double whammy” for contractors, Bectu said other BBC workers, including those in its partner service companies, have been given modest pay rises. National officer Suresh Chawla said: “With the level of redundancies that we’ve already endured, and continue to face, it’s not even as if a pay freeze is safeguarding jobs.” Feb 25, 2010 Email this article Printer friendly page Previous Page
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All content © Contractor UK Limited | [Register for News Letter] | [Privacy Statement] | [Terms of Use] | [Top of Page] |