Squeezing the middle

I've been puzzling over the BBC's opening pay offer for the year ahead.  Everyone on less than £60,302 would get 2%, and those on less than £20k will get a minimum of £400.

It looks like a squeeze on middle managers. £60,302 is the notional roof of Grade 10.  Most Grade 11 staff will therefore find their pay frozen.  Grade 11 has been the growth industry of the last couple of years, as departments have replaced posts previously deemed to be at "Senior Management 2" level with this cheaper option. This is all part of the Executive demonstrating to The Trust that they have reduced the numbers of senior managers; they haven't, of course - they've reduced the number of senior managers with capital letters in their grades.

But, being the BBC, it's all a bit murkier than that.  Staff on Grade 2 to 11 get allowances - the infamous UPA 1 or 2; night and half night shift payments, etc.  Over the last decade some staff on Grade 10 and 11 were seduced into offers of SPS ("Special Personal Salaries") which flattered them with a one-off increase to buy-out these allowances, and the promise of an annual bonus to keep things in balance.  Now those bonuses have gone, and most SPS deals are frozen.

It's hard to drum up sympathy for those on £60,000 a year at the BBC in newspapers, and one can't see the unions getting into a lather over their plight.  But the squeeze is unpleasant, nonetheless, and unwelcome when there's no further public strategy to deal with executive pay at higher levels.   Lucy Adams, who fronted the offer, is still on £320,000 a year (with a total package value of £394k).

I can't find the salary for Diane Dumas, Head of Employee Relations, who's negotiating with the NUJ and BECTU, but I'm guessing it's not far shy of £200k - she clearly was able to talk money when joining Auntie from Thomson Reuters, as evidence by this endorsement for Oasis Search.

Diane Dumas, Head of Employee Relations, BBC. My experience as a candidate with Oasis was immensely positive. Fantastic contact throughout a rigorous, multi-stage process. The regular feedback I received was immensely helpful, particularly at offer stage when I was under a lot of pressure from my previous employer to stay. It was really great to be brought into a new organisation in such a positive and professional way. Now working on the other side using Oasis to help fill a role in my team, I can see what a great feel they have developed for finding great candidates that match well in terms of skill set and organisational fit. A great asset in the competitive world of finding talent.