Proposals debated at Conference 2007

All decisions on proposed Rule changes and propositions (motions) considered by the BECTU Annual Conference at Bournemouth on 28 April 2007.

Decisions of Conference are flagged by the use of six descriptions:

• CARRIED - proposal supported by Conference.
• LOST - proposal rejected by Conference.
• REMITTED - proposal handed to NEC without any decision by Conference.
• PASSED OVER - proposal not debated or no vote taken.
• WITHDRAWN - proposal removed by those who submitted the motion and therefore not considered by Conference.
• INCORPORATED - amendment incorporated into proposal by agreement of movers of proposal.

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Formal motions on the BECTU Conference agenda

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Proposition 1/07 Conference venues (AP3)

That this Annual Conference believes that locations beyond England should be sought as the possible venues for conference 2009 or beyond.

The projected costs for all affordable and suitable locations should be drawn up into a shortlist and communicated to members for discussion.

Timescales permitting, conference delegates should be able to express their preferred choice of venue which should be taken into consideration when the final decision is made.

REMITTED

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Proposition 2/07 Funding of public service broadcasting (composite AP8)

That this Annual Conference deplores the government's decision to award the BBC a less than inflation licence settlement, noting that this undermines public service broadcasting and will have repercussions across the whole media industry.

This conference supports the BBC Division's efforts to oppose any measures the BBC tries to put in place to fund the licence fee deficit from staff remuneration and conditions.

CARRIED

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Proposition 3/07 Payment on time (AP14)

That this Annual Conference [calls on the NEC] to lobby the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, though all possible avenues including the TUC and Equity, to amend current employment law in order to stop employers delaying payments, by setting a time limit within which a worker/performer that works under a temporary contract of employment must be paid, supported by a regime of statutory fines and possibly interest charges on delinquent employers.

CARRIED

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Proposition 4/07 Payment on time (AP15)

That this Annual Conference [calls on the NEC] to lobby the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, though all possible avenues including the TUC and Equity, to amend current Employment Agency Standards (EAS) regulations in order to give the worker/performer the choice of being paid within ten days by an employment agency/work-seeking service, instead of having to agree a longer term of payment.

CARRIED

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[Amended Proposition 5/07] Production bonds (AP13B)

That this annual conference should resolve that 'all' and foreign production companies must be - 'bonded'.

CARRIED

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Proposition 6/07 BBC Resources sell-off (AP9)

That this Annual Conference restates its opposition to the proposed BBC Resources sell-off, which is illogical both in public service and business terms, and will implement all appropriate action to oppose such a sell-off.

CARRIED

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Proposition 7/07 Offshoring public services (AP10)

That this Annual Conference deplores the BBC's decision to award the contract for outsourced finance and accounting services to the Xansa/Siemens consortium, resulting in two thirds of the existing UK based jobs being moved overseas, despite a cheaper bid being available that would have kept the majority of jobs in the UK under the current provider.

This conference notes that the BBC misled the parliamentary committee of public accounts when questioned over the details of the tendering process for this contract.

This conference instructs the NEC to lobby the government to enforce stricter controls and greater accountability and transparency on public funded organisations awarding contracts which result in UK jobs being moved overseas. These controls should remain in place throughout the life of the contract and should include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. require the organisation to justify why the work could not reasonably be performed in the UK
2. require the organisation to provide an independent detailed social and economic analysis of the direct and indirect impact in the UK
3. guarantee overseas workers have comparable rights to those in the UK whilst working on any contract.

CARRIED

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Proposition 8/07 Recruitment initiative (AP2)

That this Annual Conference recognises that friends and colleagues can be the most persuasive force in recruitment. The NEC should consider a scheme where existing members who sign up a colleague are suitably rewarded.

The NEC should look at appropriate and cost-effective incentives such as subscription discounts, high street vouchers, or vouchers for venues and attractions in which BECTU has members.

LOST

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Proposition 9/07 BECTU membership cards (AP5)

That this Annual Conference feels it is wrong to issue BECTU membership cards valid for five years. Along with a yearly membership card is the excellent opportunity to bring personal contact and relevant Branch information to the member. A public relations exercise is lost with the five year card.

LOST

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Proposition 10/07 Head Office location (AP4)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to undertake a feasibility study into relocation of BECTU's Head Office to Central London.

LOST

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Proposition 11/07 BECTU and the environment (composite AP7)

That this Annual Conference recognises the importance that many companies and organisations are attaching to ethical environmental and energy-saving issues.

Conference instructs the NEC to undertake a 'green audit' to examine BECTU's credentials in this arena, focusing on paper usage and energy efficiency as examples, by asking members to receive mailings electronically where possible and without obligation or compulsion and for head office to recycle more and use energy less.

The NEC should monitor energy, paper and postage costs before and after the scheme and report these findings to conference 2008.

CARRIED

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Proposition 12/07 BECTU pension scheme (AP6)

That this Annual Conference should resolve that BECTU should no longer offer 'final salary pension' scheme to new employees, as from the end of the current financial year (2006/2007).

WITHDRAWN

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Proposition 13/07 Political affiliation (AP17)

That this Annual Conference [resolves] that due to the financial condition of BECTU and to assuage any risk to staffing, the union ceases its affiliation to the New Labour Party or to any political party until its finances are in better shape at some time in the future, if BECTU members so wish.

LOST

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Proposition 14/07 Labour Party conference (AP18)

That this Annual Conference, in view of the complete disdain that the current Labour government pays to democratic decisions taken at Annual Conferences of the Labour Party, [is] of the opinion that BECTU accepts that sending delegates to this yearly pantomime is a mere waste of time but more importantly our members' money.

LOST

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Proposition 15/07 Labour leadership (AP19)

That this Annual Conference urges the NEC to encourage candidates who are sympathetic to the aims of the trade union movement to stand for election in the forthcoming Labour leadership contest.

REMITTED

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Emergency Proposition 1/07 Alan Johnston

This conference recognises the plight of Alan Johnston and instructs the NEC to write to his family to express solidarity and support at this difficult time.

Furthermore we instruct the NEC to make all possible representations to appropriate media organisation to encourage them to campaign for his immediate release unharmed.

CARRIED

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Proposition 16/07 Workers' rights (AP1)

That this Annual Conference

• welcomes the new International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) unifying the previously separate ICFTU and WCL;
• reaffirms its commitment to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, with particular reference to Article 23; and
• congratulates the TUC on its initiative in launching the 'your company' website in August 2006.

In line with the constitution of the ITUC which pledges to struggle for 'the emancipation of working people and a world in which the dignity and rights of all human beings is assured�' and which recognises 'the urgent need to transform social, economic and political structures and relations which stand as obstacles to that vision�' and the need for 'democratic governance in the interests of labour, which it holds superior to those of capital,' and in line with the implications of the content of the TUC 'your company' website, which reveals the considerable discrepancy between the average profit created by, and average wages received by, the average UK worker.

Conference instructs the NEC to campaign nationally and internationally for universal fundamental reform of fiscal policy and of book-keeping and accountancy practice, as an inseparable part of the consolidation of the above developments into a Universal Declaration of Workers' Rights.

CARRIED

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Proposition 17/07 Broadcasting policy (AP12)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to form a Broadcasting Policy Committee, from members of the BBC, Independent Broadcasting, London and Regional Production Divisions, with the right to observers from other Divisions, answerable to the NEC. It would meet to discuss broadcasting policy, make recommendations, and consider issues for the NEC to decide on.

LOST

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Proposition 18/07 Radio frequency auction (AP11)

That this Annual Conference calls on the NEC to make the strongest representations to the government against the proposed auction of the radio frequencies currently being used for programme making and special events. The loss of these frequencies, or a substantial increase in the licence fees for them, will have serious consequences for our members in broadcast, theatre, AV, and film production who work with radio microphones, in-ear monitoring systems, and radio talkback.

CARRIED

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Proposition 19/07 Health and safety hotline (AP16)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to discuss with the TUC General [Council] the feasibility of establishing a 24-hour hotline to provide health and safety advice to all union members.

The Health and Safety Executive provide a limited advice service, being only available Monday to Friday, 0800-1800, which does not take into account the unsociable hours worked in this industry and many other industries. Also the advice given by the HSE outside these hours is to contact the local police, who may not be competent or willing to give advice on a health and safety matter.

CARRIED

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Proposition 20/07 British National Party (AP20)

That this Annual Conference was appalled to hear of the case of Simone Clarke, the BNP advocate and Equity representative employed by English National Ballet. Conference states that any known member of the BNP or any other racist or fascist organisation is expelled from BECTU by the NEC under rules 13 and 24(a) (iii), as their policies and activities are incompatible with rule 5(l).

CARRIED

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