Unions have welcomed the BBC’s emphasis on cutting middle managers as it targets £150m in cost savings, but have rejected any compulsory redundancies for staff.
As shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant blamed the funding shortfall – expected to lead to more than 1,000 job losses – on a “hatchet job” by the last government, the National Union of Journalists and broadcasting union Bectu expressed support for BBC director general Tony Hall’s proposals for a “simpler and leaner” BBC.
NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said a “hard look at how to best deploy resources” was overdue after previous waves of cuts had “badly hit grassroots content”.
“To date, Delivering Quality First, the cost-cutting programme which has reduced the news budget by a quarter, has hit journalist jobs and programming,” she said. “It’s taken this deficit for the BBC to move to tackling the management layers that have made many staff feel like it’s one BBC for them, and a very different BBC for those running the corporation.”
She said the union would work to ensure there were no compulsory redundancies and that overstretched areas of editorial were protected from cuts.
Bectu general secretary Gerry Morrissey said: “We welcome the aims and the commitment to cutting the layers of management between the DG and programme makers, for example.
“That said, it is essential, as in any programme of cuts, that staff and unions are fully involved in the consultation and that where jobs are closed redeployment opportunities are maximised.”
Bryant said that if a “full and open charter-renewal process” did not start immediately there was a danger that “the long-term future of the BBC as we know it is in peril”.
“In 2010, the coalition government did an overnight hatchet job on the BBC, which is why there is a £150m black hole in its finances,” he said.
“The BBC needs to work carefully with staff and unions to ensure these losses are made as smoothly as possible and in a way which effects programming as little as possible. But the government should look seriously at the tough decisions already having to be made by the BBC before they get any further in their thoughts of cutting BBC budgets even more.”
