The shape of things to come

Back from leave, talks with ITV today over grading and the establishment of a fair consistent pay structure for journalists across the group. Easy task then. So far it's taken more than eighteen months and we're still talking. I've kind of got the feeling that the subtler points will be overtaken by events. M Grade has trailed a stock market announcement for the 12th September. Good job the NUJ is planning a national meeting of all our ITV reps on the 13th. Meanwhile, across at the BBC, the atmosphere is worryingly quiet. They're either all still hungover from Edinburgh or are plotting furiously.