[UK TV Freelancers] Petition the BBC for recognition

Dear TV Freelancer,

Recently we told you about a meeting in London called by BECTU to discuss
the BBC's attack on freelance rates of pay. The first of these meetings has
now taken place in London, and the outcome is a petition for BBC union
recognition for freelancers, which we urge you to sign (whether you are a
BECTU member or not). This is a strong move from a union setting out to
demonstrate its commitment to freelancers in TV. If successful, it will be a
huge step forward for the protection of freelance workers and will have
positive implications right across the industry, and not just within the
BBC.

BECTU's own news item is here:
 <http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/free/nf0109.html>
http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/free/nf0109.html

Much of the current outrage at the BBC's actions stems from their attempt to
impose freelance rate reductions without any discussion or consultation. If
the BBC recognised a trade union to represent freelances - in the same way
as it recognises a union to represent staff - it couldn't do this.

Consequently, BECTU has launched a nationwide campaign for freelance
recognition at the BBC, and at BBC Resources Ltd. This is a very ambitious
goal - but the alternative is to allow the BBC to dictate new reduced rates
which will become the new norm across television. Instead, BECTU is going
for recognition so that freelance workers are treated with the respect that
they deserve, and that other workers take for granted.

The first step in this recognition campaign is to collect signatures -
thousands of signatures - to BECTU's Petition. The petition is attached
(although this is the first time we have sent an attachment on this mailing
list - if the attachment does not arrive, it is also here:
<http://www.bectu.org.uk/info/docs/download/free/bbc_petition_20060626.pdf>
http://www.bectu.org.uk/info/docs/download/free/bbc_petition_20060626.pdf ).
Please take two minutes to print this off, sign and post it.

If you have any further queries, you can contact BECTU by email on
lpd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks as ever for your support,

TV Freelancers.
www.tvfreelancers.org.uk

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