BBC management to offer concessions over pensions row

BBC management will reveal within the next couple of days the concessions it is offering staff over changes to their pensions to try to avoid impending industrial action. It is understood that the director general, Mark Thompson, plans to update staff via email on the new package being put to unions and designed to plug what BBC management claims is a £1.5bn-£2bn deficit. Thompson is expected to give some new ground, but details have so far been kept under wraps. It is understood that a proposal to use the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, and BBC Television Centre as asset backing for an equity bond to try to close the deficit has been rejected by the corporation as unworkable. Thompson's email may be sent as early as tomorrow, when he is due to appear before MPs on the Commons culture, media and sport select committee along with Sir Michael Lyons, the BBC Trust chairman. Thompson and Lyons are due to answer questions about the BBC's annual report, but are likely to be asked about the pensions issue. However, some BBC insiders said that if Thompson does reveal the concessions he is offering, the move could damage the negotiations with broadcasting unions, which are still ongoing. Last week, BBC staff who are members of the three broadcasting unions – Bectu, the National Union of Journalists and Unite – voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over the proposed changes to the final salary pension scheme. However, an announcement on strike dates was deferred until talks between unions and BBC management conclude on 16 September. If negotiations fail to resolve the dispute, strike action could begin seven days later. A staff meeting with BBC pension trustees is also due to take place on 14 September. A BBC spokesman said: "We will update staff as soon as we can on proposals." • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".