Is Auntie fair to you?

ANY freelances working for the BBC who have experienced "unfair treatment" from the Corporation in recent months have been asked to send details of their experiences to the NUJ's freelance organiser John Toner.

Freelances missed out on a 3.5 pay increase awarded to staff in July, though those engaged as "casual staff" may, on past form, receive the rise in due course. The BBC recently stopped providing late night or early morning taxis for freelances working anti-social shifts and is refusing to pay freelances to do (otherwise compulsory) online training set up in response to Hutton Report criticism. "The Freelance Industrial Council has also become aware of some local radio station managers trying to cut shift lengths - and payments - by more than 20 percent," said Adam Christie, FIC's representative on the NUJ's Broadcasting Industrial Council, and there is "confusion about pro-rata payments for those working 10 rather than eight-hour shifts.

"Anyone who has experienced poor treatment from the BBC should send details to John Toner at the Freelance Office so that there is evidence we can raise with managers." Identities will, of course, remain confidential, he added.