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August 25, 2005updated 22 Nov 2022 4:36pm

BBC News 24 to pay for ‘acting up’

By Press Gazette

By Caitlin Pike

A three-month industrial dispute at BBC News 24 has ended after it
was agreed that journalists working at the channel should receive
“acting up” pay for working in more senior positions.

The agreement brings News 24 staff in line with other BBC
journalists who receive extra pay for each shift they work above their
current grade.

During the dispute, News 24 journalists have been
refusing to act up for no extra pay and have been taking their
statutory meal and screen breaks.

FoC at BBC News 24 Nick Serpell said: “No one likes industrial action of any kind and it must always be a last resort.

“In this case negotiations had been getting us nowhere so we had no alternative but to take the action we did.”

Management
at News 24 has now made proposals which ensure that staff will be
rewarded for acting up. Serpell said that there are a few minor points
to be clarified, but that he thought the majority of members would be
voting to accept the new terms.

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A BBC spokesman said: “These payments are in line with BBC policies and directly relate to the offer of attachments.

Attachments may be used to develop staff and to cover for any longer absences.

“The
NUJ rightly points out that attachments are used elsewhere in the BBC.
We are pleased that the NUJ has decided to end its work to rule in News
24.”

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