Bectu ‘extremely angry’ about alleged BBC plans to outsource work and put UK jobs at risk
UK film and TV trade union Bectu says it is “extremely angry” not to have been consulted by the BBC, as the UK public broadcaster looks to initiate a cost-cutting outsourcing strategy that could put thousands of jobs in jeopardy.
Bectu head Philippa Childs says she only heard about the alleged plans from a leak, with UK newspaper The Guardian then breaking the story.
According to the report, the BBC is considering the offshoring of many roles currently being carried out in the UK in a desperate attempt to find more savings.
It is understood that the Beeb is in discussions with US tech firms to take over services such as management of the algorithms which recommend content to users on platforms such as iPlayer.
If the corporation go ahead with the plans, there are concerns that it will lead to widescale job losses at BBC hubs in Newcastle, Salford, Cardiff and Glasgow.
Philippa Childs said: “The suggestion that large functions of the BBC should be outsourced and potentially offshored runs counter to the public interest and is hugely damaging to the unique role the BBC plays in UK PLC.
“We are extremely angry that the BBC has been developing these proposals without any discussion with the trade unions and that Bectu has only become aware of the project due to a leak.
“It is essential that the BBC makes clear that it is committed to supporting UK jobs. Bectu has consistently argued for fair funding for the BBC, and will continue to do so, but this news plays into the hands of those who want to undermine the BBC and see it shorn of its public service responsibilities.”
Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, has long been under pressure find major savings at the broadcaster. It is seeking to make around £500 million (US$674,000,000) savings after coming under severe financial strain due to the licence fee being frozen in recent years.
As reported by C21 in May, Davie told delegates at the Creative Cities Convention in Bradford that UK public service broadcasting is in a “borderline, if not a full-on crisis” and repeated his call for more support from the government to not just preserve it but grow it across the country.
The BBC is purportedly looking to overhaul functions within its digital product group, which is responsible for developing platforms such as iPlayer, Sport, News Online and the finance department.
The proposals come after advice from external consultants, claims The Guardian article.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: “While we wouldn’t comment on any speculation, we have made clear our ambition to innovate and transform, to be able to invest in the content and services audiences love.
“To do this, we must accelerate our transformation and take advantage of opportunities in technology or with partners to strengthen our capabilities. Like many organisations, it’s routine to assess different options that could deliver these changes and it would be wrong to suggest decisions have been taken.”
Bectu claims that redundancies and the outsourcing of work will create bad publicity for the BBC with the royal charter nearing expiry in 2027 and many critics lobbying for the licence fee to be scrapped altogether.
Philippa Childs said: “The BBC is at the heart of the government’s creative industry strategy – outsourcing and potentially offshoring large numbers of jobs runs totally counter to the growth agenda.
“Ahead of a crucial Charter Review, it is essential that the BBC makes clear that it is committed to supporting UK jobs. Bectu has consistently argued for fair funding for the BBC, and will continue to do so, but this news plays into the hands of those who want to undermine the BBC and see it shorn of its public service responsibilities.”
