Bectu welcomes new BBC director-general and raises concerns about freelancers

Head of Bectu Philippa Childs has written to Tim Davie welcoming his appointment as director-general of the BBC.

As the largest union at the BBC, Bectu already has a strong ongoing relationship with the broadcaster.

Childs highlighted her hopes for that to continue, writing: “I would very much like to meet you at the earliest opportunity to discuss your vision for the future of the BBC and my hopes for a positive ongoing relationship.”

Childs has also written separately to the current director-general, Tony Hall, to ask for further clarification on the reasons why BBC freelancers who are employed on PAYE contracts have not been furloughed.

Childs wrote to Hall ahead of the 10 June cut-off date for new entrants to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Hundreds of BBC PAYE freelancers have been campaigning for the corporation to furlough them during the pandemic. The BBC has argued that as a public sector organisation it is not able to access the furlough scheme.

However, Childs highlighted that “lots of public sector arms’ length bodies have been able to access the scheme”.  She added: “In Bectu’s view the rules of the CJRS do not preclude the BBC from accessing the scheme and furloughing these freelancers.”

She urged the BBC to revisit the issue with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ahead of the deadline.

Childs received a reply to her letter from the BBC (though not from Tony Hall himself) highlighting that it has honoured contracts despite work being cancelled and also donated to a number of hardship funds for workers in the industry.

Childs said: “As well as those who have worked for the BBC, there are many other people in the film and TV industry who have not been furloughed, even though they work from contract to contract through the PAYE system.

“As the UK enters the next stage of dealing with economic consequences of the pandemic people who have not had any financial support will be starting on the backfoot.

“The government’s continued silence on the number of creative industry freelancers who have fallen through the gaps raises serious questions about how well it has handled the economic impact of the coronavirus.”