For the record - Acas here we go

We are writing to clarify the position in relation to the ongoing talks with ITN management following this week's joint chapel meeting.
As previously stated the joint unions agreed to hold talks about proposed efficiencies that the company wanted to make. We did not agree to make savings of £300,000. On repeated occasions during the negotiations we have put forward constructive suggestions, therefore it is wrong to say we have not made any real progress towards reaching a deal with ITN. At our last meeting the counter proposal we put forward would have totalled around 85% of the savings the company wishes to make. This was rejected.
We agreed to put the current proposal before a joint meeting as requested by management. This meeting was held on Monday and the proposal was unanimously rejected.
It is not accurate to imply the process has been delayed by the unions. We have been suggesting to the company for some weeks now that all the parties should attend the conciliation service Acas to further these discussions and this was re-iterated following the joint meeting on Monday. We are now in the process of confirming a date for these talks.
In the meantime the company continues to indicate that failing to reach agreement would jeopardise the 2008 pay award which you have already received. We reject this and believe that in the event of a dispute the status quo which would be preserved is the current situation - not that which existed pre the 2008 pay award. We remain committed to protecting the RPI pay increase in 2009 agreed as part of the two year deal.
regards, Paul McLaughlin, NUJ Broadcasting Organiser Laura Davison, NUJ Assistant Broadcasting Organiser