NEC Report to BECTU 2006 Conference

The National Executive Committee

1. The National Executive Committee (NEC) has, since its election declared at the close on 8 May 2004 of the union's 2004 Conference, met on the following dates: in 2004, on 23 May, 4 July, 15 August, 26 September, 7 November, 19 December; in 2005, on 30 January, 13 March, 24 April, 3 June.

2. It was reported at the close of the union's 2004 Conference that Tony Lennon had been re-elected as President of BECTU.

3. The Divisional members of the National Executive Committee elected with effect from 8 May 2004 were: Christine Bond, Suresh Chawla, Peter Cox, Tudor Gates, Lou George, John Handley, Pete Harding, Mary Hillman, Andy Love, Annabelle Mackenzie, Douglas McGill, Jane Perry, Winston Phillips, John Searle/John Wild (job share), Lawrence Van Reiss, Robert Scott.

4. The National Executive Committee, at its meeting on 23 May 2004, elected Lawrence Van Reiss as Vice-President and Douglas McGill as Treasurer of BECTU. They, together with the President, comprise the General Officers of the union.

5. Lou George, who has been seconded to work for BECTU for a period of one year, resigned his position on the National Executive Committee on 18 December 2005. In the by-election to the vacant Arts & Entertainment position Mick Corfield was elected unopposed, and took his seat for the remainder of the 2004-2006 term on 29 January 2006.

6. Mary Hillman resigned from the National Executive Committee on 23 March 2006. There was no by-election as fresh elections for the 2006-2008 term of office were already under way.

7. The National Executive Committee, at its meeting on 23 May 2004, elected Lawrence Van Reiss as Vice-President and Douglas McGill as Treasurer of BECTU. They, together with the President, comprise the General Officers of the union.

Obituaries

8. The union's journal up to the March 2006 issue had recorded that the following members and/or employees of BECTU or its founder unions have passed away during the course of the year: George Armstrong, Nikie Ash, Tony Banks, David Batchelor, John Beckwith-Smith, Richard Bennett, Dick Best, Lord Brabourne, Mary Brack, Mike Branch, Ken Bridgeman, Frances Burt, Michael Clarke, Terry Elgar, Bill Furness, Dickie Furness, Sally Harrison, Wal Henry, Norah Hynes, John Jay, David Wynne Jones, Disley Jones, Ian Macfarlane, Jack Mills, John W. Mitchell, Sidney Morris, Ken Osborne, Eddie O'Toole, John Rhodes, Wolf Rilla, Fred Tomlin.

Conference

9. The minutes of the 2005 Rules Revision and Annual Conference held in Liverpool on 4 and 5 June 2005 were circulated in Branch Circular 691. Propositions carried or remitted at that Conference and the manner in which the National Executive Committee has dealt with them are given in Appendix A [103k pdf], B1 [52k pdf] and B2 [74k pdf] or are reported on in the National Executive Committee's report.

10. The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 17 July 2005 considered proposition 2/05 which instructed the National Executive Committee to continue to cost Conference venues outside England and if that proved comparable should make that the first choice for the next venue ahead of any in England. The National Executive Committee concluded that it was not possible for financial reasons to hold the union's 2006 Conference outside of England and decided that the union's 2006 Conference would be held in the Floral Hall at the Devonshire Park Centre, Eastbourne on Sunday 21 May 2006.

11. The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 29 January 2006 considered a number of different possible venues for the union's 2007 Conference, including venues in Scotland and Wales. It came to the conclusion that costs were still a matter of the greatest priority, particularly given the fact that we are carrying a number of vacant posts and against the background of the union's financial position, set out later in this report. It is therefore considering holding the union's 2007 Annual Conference at the new purpose-built conference facility at Butlins in Bognor Regis, subject to contract.

Proposition 1/06 Funding for Conference (AP4)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to seek out local, union-friendly, ethical and otherwise appropriate companies and organisations willing to provide sponsorship at future Conferences. Such sponsorship will help subsidise the cost of Conference or fund propositions which might otherwise fail on cost grounds.

Bush

Appeals Committee

12. Cris Woodcock and Trevor Owen were the only two candidates nominated by Branches for election to the Appeals Committee at the union's 2005 Conference. Branch Circular 694 was issued on 28 June 2005 calling for nominations to fill the three vacancies left on the Appeals Committee. Only one nomination was forthcoming - Mark Rivers (Central London Engineering and Technical Branch) who was therefore duly elected. Branch Circular 700 dated 30 August invited Branches to submit further nominations to fill the remaining two vacancies. Only one nomination was received by the closing date of 30 September, namely Tony De Rance (Film Artistes Branch). The National Executive Committee therefore agreed that the Appeals Committee would comprise Cris Woodcock, Trevor Owen, Mark Rivers and Tony de Rance until the new elections due at this year's Conference.

Recruitment and retention

13. A statistical breakdown of BECTU's membership as at 31 December 2005 will be found in Appendix C [73k pdf] to this report.

Industrial overview

14. 2005 was an exceptionally busy year for the union both industrially and in relation to recruitment and retention. Throughout the year we recruited 5,991 members which compares well with the 2004 total of 4,752. In 2005 we had cessations totalling 4,842 compared to 4,751 in 2004. Once again this highlights our need to recruit 5,000 members a year to stand still. Our income target for 2005 was £4,629,000; we actually achieved £4,619,000, which was an overall increase of 6.75%. Our 2006 target is £4,700,000.

15. The key aims of the union are to

  • protect jobs
  • increase membership
  • win new recognition agreements
  • improve pay and conditions of service, including pensions

Proposition 2/06 Office of the Pensions Advisory Service (AP16)

That this Annual Conference, in view of the growing pensions crisis, instructs the NEC to affiliate BECTU to the voluntary organisation OPAS (Office of the Pensions Advisory Service) to provide support for the work of OPAS and reciprocally provide BECTU and its members with a ready source of expertise on general pensions matters rather than individual specific actuarial advice.

IT Services

16. The NEC at its October 2005 meeting considered an interim update to the 2005 recruitment campaign with proposals as to what should happen in the remainder of 2005 and up to Conference 2006. That report formed the basis of the present paragraphs.

17. We increased membership in 2005 by a net figure of 1,150. We also won a number of key recognition agreements, including one covering all freelancers employed by BBC Scotland and an agreement to represent all staff on the ITV production The Bill which is made by talkbackTHAMES. Recognition was also won with Lee Lighting, the film industry's biggest lighting contractor. There was a significant achievement by our officials working at NTL, where the company, having given notice to terminate their current collective bargaining, were persuaded by BECTU's negotiating team to conduct a secret ballot of staff. The result of this ballot was a vote in favour of the union continuing to be recognised for collective bargaining purposes.

18. Our 2006 key recruitment targets include building membership across all BBC production departments, Granada TV, Yorkshire TV and London Weekend TV, with emphasis being put on production grades. In the Arts & Entertainment Division the key areas are West End theatres and regional theatres owned by Clear Channel Entertainment and ATG Group. In the Laboratories Division, after years of redundancies we are attempting to win back some ground in new grades employed by De Luxe. In an attempt to increase our collective bargaining agreements for freelancers, a specific campaign is being run within the post-production and facility companies in London and the South East. The independent production sector continues to grow. However, BECTU's collective agreement with PACT only covers freelancers and a number of the big companies employ a significant amount of staff on a permanent basis. BECTU approached PACT with a view to extending our recognition agreement to cover permanent staff, but this claim was rejected. We are currently running a campaign in order to increase our density across this group of workers.

19. 2006 offers a number of new challenges, especially now as redundancies begin to bite in the BBC. As well as the campaigns mentioned earlier in this report, the union is attempting to get a foothold in the computer games industry. This industry employs over 50,000 people of whom 15% are employed on a freelance basis. If BECTU is to remain a vibrant independent union we need to increase our density of members in our strongholds, like the BBC, and ITV, and freelance workers in technical grades and theatres. In addition, we need to break into new areas such as the computer games industry in order to protect us against a declining workforce in other areas, such as currently in the Laboratories sector.

20. The following paragraphs are a summary of the key achievements, but by no means a complete list of activities, on a Division by Division basis:

Independent Broadcasting Division

21. It has been a year of mixed fortunes for the IB Division. An improved pay offer for ITV plc staff in 2005 followed the first period of industrial action in the sector for seven years. Our satisfaction at the conduct of the industrial action was followed by a more muted response to the resolution of the dispute due to a narrow vote in favour of acceptance which left some members dissatisfied. This disappointment was exacerbated by the company's decision to make an award of shares just before a fall in the share price which caused members to pay tax on shares which had fallen in value before receipt. However the members' challenge to the company's pay offer for 2005 was reinforced when discussions on the 2006 offer started in November 2005. An on-inflation offer of 2.5% was improved by the company to a 3% offer with effect from 1 January 2006, overturning the company's stated opposition to above-inflation consolidated awards. New rates were also agreed for the minimum salaries outside and in London of £14,000 and £15,500 respectively. National discussions on the promised review of technical operator grading and salary across the country started in January 2006.

22. At Scottish Media Group agreement was reached on 55 voluntary redundancies in December 2005. This continued the pattern of retrenchment led by ITV plc management. The year also saw the closure of the ITV News Channel with the loss of more than 50 posts.

23. At Arqiva (formerly the Broadcast part of NTL) restructuring, most notably of its public safety contracts, followed the transfer of the business to the Macquarie Bank-led consortium in February 2005. Some 70 redundancies resulted amongst whom were several long-serving representatives of the union.

24. The Division succeeded in August 2005 in securing the continuation of a collective agreement for NTL staff following the company's notice to end the agreement. The assistance of ACAS on this project was much appreciated.

25. The Division's officials continued to assist individual staff working in a number of non-recognised companies, including BSkyB, other cable/satellite channels and in commercial radio.

26. Despite a year in which the Division continued, with some success, to defend and advance members' interests, IB's membership fell by approximately 500 from January to December 2005, presenting the biggest (known) challenge for the Division in 2006. The Divisional team - which includes Head Office staff, our officials and representatives - is working to intensify efforts to take better advantage of the opportunities within the Division.

Proposition 3/06 Training (AP9)

That this Annual Conference deplores the loss of television production, studios and facilities. However, we recognise the need for new forms of media and experimental television but wish to ensure that employers such as the BBC and Independent Television give appropriate training in creative skills and health & safety to achieve professional standards and to pay the recognised remuneration for the duties undertaken.

We therefore request the NEC to formulate a suitable strategy to ensure that employers maintain proficient standards and working practices for all members of BECTU.

Bush

London and Regional Production Divisions

27. In 2005 as in previous years our recruitment targets were based on direct recruitment of new members rather than on net growth. Net growth is affected by factors outside our immediate control such as members lost through redundancy. But by basing our targets on direct recruitment we keep the focus on a key factor which we can influence through the activities and commitment of members and officials.

28. LPD's recruitment target in 2005 was a very challenging 1,500; the actual figure achieved was 1,258. Meanwhile RPD's recruitment target was 500, which was exceeded with an actual figure of 659.

29. 2005 saw further successes for BECTU in winning new recognition agreements with employers on behalf of freelance workers. This was despite the inherent difficulties of defining clear 'bargaining units', and demonstrating majority support for recognition, in a freelance environment characterised by short-term contracts and a constantly changing workforce.

30. Our single most significant success was at BBC Scotland, where we concluded a recognition agreement covering all freelance workers in BECTU grades. This built on our successful recognition campaign at the BBC Natural History Unit (NHU) in 2004. Significantly, whereas we were obliged to go through the statutory procedure at the NHU, the agreement at BBC Scotland was voluntary. We hope this signals a new realism on the part of the BBC about BECTU's right and ability to represent freelance workers.

31. In addition, we won recognition for both freelances and staff on The Bill. This is made by talkbackTHAMES, part of the FremantleMedia group, and BECTU members there have been campaigning for recognition for some years. This again was a voluntary agreement, brokered by ACAS, and secured by our success in a ballot just before Christmas.

32. Finally, the union also negotiated a voluntary recognition agreement with Lee Lighting, the film/TV industry's biggest lighting contractor, part of the Panavision group.

Proposition 4/06 Union recognition (AP6)

That this Annual Conference congratulates the staff of talkbackTHAMES, BBC Bristol Natural History Unit camera operators, and BBC Scotland freelances, for voting for union recognition in last year's ballots and all the officials and members who worked so hard to achieve it.

Writers Producers & Directors

33. In the TV freelance/independent sector, we continue to face problems of widespread non-compliance with the PACT/BECTU Freelance Production Agreement. During the year PACT proposed opening discussions with the union on a new freelance agreement to cover Factual and Reality programmes. We welcomed this in principle, but several months later we are still waiting for them to table any concrete proposals.

34. The short-term, sporadic nature of freelance contracts makes it difficult to use direct industrial pressure in this sector. Nevertheless there are tools at our disposal. Firstly, and most importantly, we have systems in place to support freelance members on productions, individually and collectively. Secondly, PACT and its member companies are highly sensitive to bad publicity and we have used this to good effect. And finally, new terms of trade with the broadcasters have stimulated a process of merger and takeover within the independent production sector so that a small number of 'super-indies' now take the lion's share of the available work. This may also present industrial opportunities for the union.

35. 2005 was a disastrous year for film production, with investment more than 40% lower than in 2004. This was largely due to the continuing uncertainty caused by the government clampdown on certain forms of film financing late in 2004. In the autumn of 2005 the Treasury and Department of Culture Media & Sport (DCMS) jointly published consultation documents about the future tax regime, and a new definition of 'culturally British films', which caused us great concern. BECTU made formal submissions to both departments. In addition we launched a campaign against the proposed definition of 'culturally British films' which completely ignored the skills of the UK film industry workforce, and underplayed other factors such as UK studio/location shooting and use of film laboratories. Members were asked to send postcards to MPs to get the issues raised with Ministers. This got a fantastic response, and MPs of all parties took up BECTU's questions. Thanks are due to the many members who supported our campaign.

36. The final outcome was that the DCMS definition was amended to take our concerns on board; and the new tax regime announced by the Chancellor was much more favourable than had been feared. At the time of writing 2006 looks like being a much better year for film production. This will provide a favourable context for the re-negotiation of our three-year Construction Crews Agreement.

Proposition 5/06 Film industry sustainability (AP12)

That this Annual Conference welcomes the Treasury's announcement of continued fiscal support for UK film production, especially for inward investment and strengthening the cultural test to encourage more UK/European Economic Area employment among film crews and use of UK facilities, as requested by the union. Conference congratulates officials and members who lobbied the government and urges the union to monitor the detailed implementation of these plans in the 2006 Finance Bill.

However, concerns still remain over the sustainability and level of UK film production, distribution and exhibition. Therefore, this Conference instructs the NEC, via the Film Policy Committee, to discuss, devise and lobby for measures to be taken by government and/or other relevant public or industry bodies to encourage and promote a sustainable base of UK film production, exhibition and distribution, be it an Eady-style levy, quota, or some other measure or means, to be reported to next year's Conference.

Writers Producers & Directors

37. As part of the 2006 recruitment strategy it was agreed that we would undertake to recruit and organise staff on permanent and fixed-term contracts in the independent production sector as this was an area that we expected to grow, given the broadcasters' desire to put more programmes out to tender.

38. In the autumn of 2005 AGS Martin Spence approached PACT to seek discussions on a sector-wide agreement with their member companies to cover these workers. Towards the end of the year they stated that they were not willing to go down this road. We therefore started to address the issue on a company-by-company basis.

39. In 2005 a survey of the Writers Producers & Directors Branch sought to identify which of the largest independent companies (by turnover and employment) had employed the highest numbers of BECTU members. The top two companies which emerged were Endemol and RDF. These were therefore selected as the first companies to be targeted.

40. We wrote to the companies on 14 December 2005 and, when we had received no replies, rang and re-sent the letters on 16 January 2006. At the time of writing we have still had no reply.

41. Two teams of officials were selected: Endemol - Tom Bell; Spencer MacDonald; Nigel Mason; RDF - Rob Newland; Jim Johnstone; Tony Norton.

42. The campaign will make extensive use of BECTU's website, other web-based services with which we are linked, and where possible the trade press, to contact workers in this sector. This will be followed up by face-to-face meetings, leafleting and other activities at or near workplaces. A detailed timetable was approved by the NEC at its meeting in January 2006.

Proposition 6/06 Freelancers and union duties (AP8)

That this Annual Conference notes the rising proportion of freelancers in the industry and the difficulties they face when carrying out union duties. The NEC is therefore requested to look at and report back on the viability and desirability of payments to members for union duties, where they do not have an employer to provide time off for union duties.

Writers Producers & Directors

Laboratories Division

43. We have acknowledged for some time that the traditional film laboratories are in long-term decline. The growing use of digital camera formats rather than film takes work away, and the prospect of digital cinema projection threatens to undermine the bulk production of prints for cinemas.

44. During 2005 Colour Film Services (CFS) closed down. CFS was a long-standing and well-respected small film laboratory, in which BECTU always had a well-organised shop. Its loss illustrates the competitive pressures which now exist in this sector.

45. We have also seen a major setback in the non-broadcast video area covered by the Laboratories Division, with the closure of De Luxe's video duplication plant at Brentford. This was a direct effect of a technological shift in consumer markets, as DVD has replaced video. De Luxe has also served notice that it wishes to end its recognition agreement with BECTU at its Enfield distribution centre. At the time of writing the union is actively engaged in a recruitment and organisation campaign at Enfield to fight off this derecognition threat.

46. Both the two major film laboratories, De Luxe at Denham and Technicolor at West Drayton, saw redundancies during 2005. However neither appears to face a threat to its existence at present. Other labs where the union continues to represent members are Film Lab North, the National Film & Television Archive, Soho Images, and Todd-AO.

Arts & Entertainment Division

Theatres

47. Industrial activity within the theatre industry, particularly in London, took place against a fall in attendances as a result of the London bombings. The industry was also braced for the effects of the government's plans for a freeze in arts subsidy. However, in accordance with Divisional policy, BECTU continued to strive to address members' concerns about the low rates of pay which continue to characterise the industry.

48. Negotiations with the Theatrical Management Association (TMA) brought increases of 3.5% to the minimum pay rates contained within the collective agreement. The minimum employers' pension contribution was also increased by a further 0.5%, although take-up remains poor.

49. Negotiations with the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) also yielded a 3.5% increase in minimum pay rates and the 0.5% increase in the minimum employers' pension contribution. A new clause, benefiting non-permanently employed staff in the West End, was agreed and will give regularly employed staff improved entitlements to maternity, paternity, sickness and holiday entitlements. We also agreed jointly to appoint an independent consultant to conduct a comprehensive review of the current pay and grading structure in the West End agreement, with the aim of completion by May 2006.

50. The question of regular Sunday performances in the West End and beyond is increasingly contentious, with employers reluctant to pay more than the minimum rates, and BECTU members reluctant to commit to regular Sunday working.

51. Most local negotiations in regional theatres and arts centres followed the general 3.5% industry increases, with the outcome being determined by a number of factors, the most important of which is the organisational strength and density of the union membership. This was highlighted in our negotiations with Clear Channel Entertainment which secured pay rates for rock and roll concerts. The increases within the National Houses, negotiated against varying degrees of industrial unrest, resulted in a two-year deal worth 3.0% per year at the Royal Opera House, 3.5% at the National Theatre and 3% at the Royal Shakespeare Company. At English National Opera a 95% vote in favour of strike action secured a three-year pay offer worth 3%, RPI+1%, and then RPI+0.5.

Membership in theatres

52. At the start of 2005, the total A&E Divisional membership was 4,937. This had increased to 5,137 by the end of the year - a net increase of over 4%. This increase was mainly in the theatre sector whereas membership in the cinema sector, where we have a relatively high membership density within our recognition areas, was stable. In the leisure industry membership remains low despite having attempted to attract new union activists. Recruitment is an on-going activity within the Division where we need to recruit 100 members each month to retain current membership level. The Division's key recruitment targets for 2005, and for 2006, are within the theatre sector - specifically within theatres in London's West End and ClearChannel (now LiveNation) theatres throughout the UK.

53. Our membership in ClearChannel increased by 25% during the year, the result of the work undertaken by the committee which identified, and organised around, workplace issues. Membership in West End theatres remained relatively static throughout 2005; however it is hoped that targeted recruitment activity, using the organising model, will reap rewards.

Cinemas

54. During the year, the acquisition by Guy Hands Terra Firma has brought together the Odeon and UCI circuits under single ownership. For the present both businesses, albeit run as the dominant Odeon brand, remain separate. There are longer term plans to bring the businesses together and we are currently talking to management about extending BECTU's recognition across former UCI sites. At the time of writing the annual pay negotiations with the company were ongoing.

55. A number of Odeon and UCI sites have been sold off to Ward Anderson Cinemas as a result of Terra Firma's acquisition of the two chains to meet the government's competition rules. We have been attempting to set up a subDivisional committee to deal with this company, who have also bought several Cineworld sites which were put up for sale also to meet competition rules. Blackstones gained control of UG cinemas in 2005 and have set up a separate company, Cineworld UK Ltd, who to date have been content to run the two sets of terms and conditions in parallel. Recognition for the projectionists transferred with the sale but no collective agreement exists for administrative and front-of-house staff, who were issued with 90 days notice of proposed contractual changes towards the end of 2005. Further developments are expected during 2006.

BBC Division

56. 2005 has been an excellent year for recruitment. BBC membership has risen by more than 12%, from 7,182 to 8,217. In 2005 a total of 2,062 new members were recruited at the BBC, Resources Ltd and Broadcast. This is nearly 50% more than in 2004. While thanks are due to the efforts of activists and officials, the BBC itself has been the best recruiting sergeant with its drastic proposals to reduce staff. The proposal to cut 3,780 staff through redundancies and outsourcing and the refusal to negotiate on the proposals precipitated a strike on 23 May 2005. This was so successful because it was well-supported by BECTU staff members and our freelance colleagues working at the BBC.

57. The strike forced BBC management to make concessions over the pace of change and ensured that there would be no compulsory redundancies before 1 July 2007. It also derailed the attempts to sell BBC Resources, and the BBC conceded that there would be no attempt to sell the company until 2007. The threat has not gone away and the BBC will make another attempt to sell Resources.

58. The sale of BBC Broadcast Ltd to Macquarie Ltd went ahead but the solid support of our members employed there meant that the new owners had to provide protection for the terms, conditions and employment of the staff being sold. They also had to agree to provide a final salary pension scheme for employees. This is yet another example of piecemeal privatisation of the BBC.

59. The BBC pay settlement this year was 3.5%.

Representatives' training and development

60. This report covers that part of the Training Officer's remit that impacts directly on the recruitment and retention strategy through the training and development of union reps and activists. It is structured as follows:

  • a brief outline of the training strategy
  • a report on training activities 2005-2006
  • evaluation of strengths and weaknesses
  • future plans

The training strategy

61. The training strategy seeks to raise the knowledge and skills of reps and activists to service members, organise and campaign, and in particular to:

  • assist with the personal cases of individual members and the collective bargaining issues that arise at the workplace;
  • support a Branch and/or workplace infrastructure in all Divisions; recruit and retain new members;
  • enhance the reputation of BECTU

62. During 2004 and 2005 the major task has been to develop, pilot and establish relevant courses and recruit partners to run them as the main contribution to the strategy. The courses have been updated and are mainly run at Head Office by South Thames College TUC unit. The courses are now well established and we are seeking to run additional courses in the Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the English regions. This depends on resources and suitable partners being available to run the courses. The courses are administered by Lesley Burt and Tracey Hunt at Head Office.

Training activities 2005-2006

63. In total 26 courses were scheduled for Head Office during the calendar year 2005, however eight of these failed to recruit sufficient numbers to proceed and were cancelled, leaving a total of 18 scheduled courses that ran at Head Office. However, nine unscheduled Divisional or regional courses were organised and this meant that we were able to train 182 members (about the same as in 2004 when 177 members trained).

64. The scheduled courses at Head Office were:

  • Health & Safety Part 1 - 2 courses held
  • Health & Safety Part 2 - 2 courses held
  • Tackling Workplace Stress Part (H&S 3) - 2 courses held
  • New Reps Induction - 3 courses held
  • Representing your Members - 2 courses held (1 cancelled)
  • How to organise a union meeting - 1 course held (1 cancelled)
  • Building the Organised Workplace - 1 course held (1 cancelled)
  • Union Learning Reps - 1 course held (3 cancelled)
  • Introduction to Negotiating Skills - 2 courses held
  • Introduction to Employment Law - 2 courses held

65. The unscheduled Divisional or regional courses were:

  • 3 day course in Manchester for IB reps
  • 3 day course in BBC Wales
  • 1 day induction for Wilson James/OCS/Sutcliffe reps
  • 1 day course for the Black Members Committee
  • 1 day Induction course - Scotland
  • 3 day Representing your Members - Scotland
  • 1 day Induction - West End Theatres
  • 2 separate 1 day Risk Assessment courses for freelances

66. There is probably a natural ceiling on Head Office courses of about 20 courses per year with a possible total of about 200 reps in attendance. There is also potential to run a programme of courses in the North-West starting in 2006, there is also potential in running smaller programmes in Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

Strengths and weaknesses

67. Our evaluation of every course allows us to identify where improvements can be made and these are dealt with where possible. The overall evaluation by reps is that the courses, admin and organisation are very good.

Future plans

68. We have a very successful relationship with the TUC unit at South Thames College who run the Head Office programme. We now also have solid contacts with Stow College in Glasgow, Bridgend College in South Wales and latterly City College Manchester. The Training Officer meets with the staff and runs pilot courses with the colleges to make sure that BECTU are getting the best possible service. With the arrival of the Union Academy we hope this will improve even more.

Regional working

69. The Training Officer will be working with NOs Helen Ryan and Paul Atkinson to organise a series of courses in the North-West via City College Manchester. There will be courses running in Belfast organised by NO Anna Murray and at De Luxe by SO Rob Newland. The West End initiative with SO Willy Donaghy and NO Willie Leslie will continue with a special organising course in spring 2006.

Reps accreditation

70. The Representing Members course has been agreed as the means by which we can accredit reps to accompany members legally at formal hearings. The Training Officer will work closely with the Divisions to ensure that every rep who wishes to be an accredited rep attends this course. Experienced reps will be able to attend a special one-day update organised with South Thames College to attain accredited status. These will be organised by their Division in collaboration with the relevant SO or NO.

Organising courses

71. Organising courses where reps and other activists learn to campaign, recruit and organise themselves are best carried out locally where they can be integrated into a real organising initiative. The organising work is the course and the course is the organising work. The hope is that at least one course in each Division plus courses in the key organising targets will be agreed.

New directions

72. The Training Officer is working with the TUC-affiliated Open Learning Partnership to develop a virtual learning environment (VLE) that can be used to support work-based learning and mentoring of reps who have been on courses. The VLE will also be used to examine the potential of course provision and support for freelance members.

73. The VLE will be accessible via the upgraded learning website. This project will develop over the next two to three years and will hopefully be supported by the new Union Academy.

The Alfie Squires Educational Bursary

74. In October 2005 the National Executive Committee agreed to make the first discretionary bursary payment towards trade union-related education for BECTU members, particularly those in difficult circumstances. The annual bursary is in memory of Alfie Squires, an NFT projectionist who died at a tragically early age in 1990, having striven tirelessly for the amalgamation of ACTT and BETA six months later to form BECTU.

Members' subscriptions

75. The National Executive Committee at its meeting held on 18 December 2005 considered a report from AGS Gerry Morrissey regarding the increasing frustration felt by both full time officials and Branch members when individuals, who had been in employment in their area of influence for a considerable period of time, joined the union and sought representation on a pre-existing problem. The National Executive Committee was already operating a policy of not granting legal assistance in these circumstances. It concluded that it was necessary to take further measures given that the cost of representing these individuals was sometimes extremely high, and at the unfair expense of other members who had paid subscriptions conscientiously. It is therefore submitting a proposed rule change to the union's 2006 Conference on this matter.

Proposition 7/06 Alteration to rule 8 (AP1)

That this Annual Conference, in a special rules session, approves the following alteration to rule under rule 45(b):

Re-letter existing rule 8 as rule 8(a) and add new clause (b) as follows:

Where a member makes a request for individual representation by an accredited official of the union in a matter that arose prior to the date on which the member is accepted as having joined or rejoined the union, or where the date of the act or event giving rise to a claim made by or on behalf of the member is prior to that joining or rejoining date, that member shall be required to pay a non-refundable contribution of £120 before such representation is provided. Payment of that amount shall not grant any entitlement to legal advice or representation as referred to in rule 21.

National Executive Committee

76. The National Executive Committee, after an examination of the subscription rule at its meeting on 29 January 2006, came to the conclusion that rule 9 as it was currently structured did not strictly speaking allow the introductory rate of £120 to be used by members who decide to have their subscriptions paid by deductions at source. It is therefore submitting a rule change to the union's 2006 Conference on this matter.

Proposition 8/06 Alteration to rule 9 (AP2)

That this Annual Conference, in a special rules session, approves the following alteration to rule under rules 9(e) and 45(b):

In subclause (a)(i), after "or in subclause (ii)" insert "or (iii)", then add new subclause (iii) as follows:

(iii) In their first year of membership, members shall be eligible to pay a reduced introductory subscription of £10.00 per month or £120.00 per annum (or such sum as may be determined by the National Executive Committee in accordance with rule 10). This provision shall not apply to members rejoining the union who have previously paid the introductory subscription rate.

National Executive Committee

77. The National Executive Committee also considered its powers to offer reduced subscriptions in circumstances where it wished to run a recruitment campaign to boost the level of membership irrespective of whether or not we already had recognition. It concluded that it did not have the appropriate authority under rule 10 to embark upon such action. It is therefore submitting a rule change to the union's 2006 Conference on this matter.

Proposition 9/06 Alteration to rule 10 (AP3)

That this Annual Conference, in a special rules session, approves the following alteration to rule under rules 9(e) and 45(b):

After subclause (i), insert new subclause (ii) as follows, then re-number the remaining subclauses:

(ii) where potential members are employed by a specified employer (whether or not that employer recognises the union) where the union is campaigning to recruit in order to improve its density of membership. Where the National Executive Committee exercises discretion under this subclause, it shall specify the period (not exceeding one year) during which new members may be recruited on reduced subscriptions, and shall report accordingly to Annual Conference.

National Executive Committee

Finances and resources

78. The General Secretary at the request of the National Executive Committee submitted a discussion paper to the December meeting of the National Executive Committee setting out what he saw as being the challenges facing BECTU, the demands being made on resources and how he believed that the National Executive Committee should respond to this. The discussion paper submitted by the General Secretary and endorsed by the National Executive Committee is attached as Appendix D [72k pdf] to this report.

79. The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 2 October 2005 considered and endorsed the income and expenditure forecast for 2006. This is attached as Appendix E [49k pdf] to this report.

Property

80. As was reported to the 2005 Conference 111 Wardour Street was sold to Threadneedle plc in spring 2005 for £3.2 million. In the autumn of 2005 Lambeth Council finally gave planning permission to the property developer Housefield Ltd for the construction of houses on land at the rear of 373-377 Clapham Road. For this BECTU received £612,139. BECTU is due to receive further payments from the developer. £50,000 is guaranteed in respect of five car parking spaces that have been sold. BECTU will receive an additional sum of £150,000 to be paid three years after the completion of the build of the original five houses.

81. The developer has since purchased an adjoining piece of land from the Family Housing Association and has applied to Lambeth Council for planning permission to build additional houses on this. Because the only way to access these houses will be through the roadway that will be created under the original plan between 373 and 375 Clapham Road, the developers have agreed an additional £60,000 payment to BECTU, which would in these circumstances be paid together with the original £150,000 within three months of the build being completed.

82. The proceeds from these sales has allowed BECTU to clear a number of debts and reduce its indebtedness to Unity Trust Bank to £300,000. This is being repaid over five years.

BECTU's staffing

83. The pay of BECTU staff was increased by 4% with effect from 1 January 2006. The NEC is taking positive steps to incorporate into staff terms and conditions the letter and the spirit of the age discrimination regulations due to take effect on 1 October this year.

84. We mourned the unexpected deaths of retired staff members Mary Brack in June 2005 and Frances Burt in October 2005. Margaret McGrevey left BECTU's employment in August 2005, Dean Baker in September 2005, and Gareth Vaughan-James in November 2005. Elly Baker and Yvonne Smith took up new appointments as fixed term ULF project workers from May 2005 to March 2006. Rebecca Wingate-Saul was engaged as Acting Journal Editor in January 2006 to enable Janice Turner to promote new Move on Up diversity initiatives until June 2007. In September 2005 Leigh Outram was appointed as fixed term evening and weekend receptionist at Head Office until August 2006, while Kyra Williams takes a career break to appear in The Mousetrap. Lou George was seconded by his employer for a year to act as a National Official of BECTU from January 2006 (he remains an employee of the Brewery Arts Centre). We are grateful to Lesley Miles, Margaret Bisset and Trevor Nicholas who have periodically come out of retirement to cover sick leave and other vacancies.

85. The gender balance of BECTU's employees is given in the following table [45k pdf].

The BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme

86. The National Executive Committee, as reported to the union's 2005 Annual Conference, increased the employer's contribution to the BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme to 32%.

87. During the course of 2005 the Trustees of the Scheme sought agreement from BECTU that the union's accounts would be provided to them on a quarterly basis and that the union would agree, in the form of a Negative Deed, not to use 373-377 Clapham Road as collateral for loans without first seeking the permission of the Trustees of the pension scheme. This was agreed by the National Executive Committee at its meeting on 17 July on the understanding that the Trustees would not unreasonably withhold agreement for the National Executive Committee to take out loans against 373-377 Clapham Road.

88. From 1 October 2006 it will not be possible to compel employees to retire before they reach the age of 65. The National Executive Committee has agreed with the recognised shops and the Trustees of the BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme that the normal retirement age for BECTU staff, with effect from April 2006, will be 65 years of age.

89. Formal legal proceedings began in the case BECTU is pursuing against the various advisers to the BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme at a court hearing on Monday 12 December 2005, at which the judge required all parties to enter into discussions with a view to reaching agreement by March 2006. At the time of writing arrangements are being set up for a meeting between BECTU representatives, our legal advisers and the various parties we are taking action against. A verbal supplementary report will be given to Conference.

Life and honorary members

90. The National Executive Committee has awarded life membership of BECTU to the following members during 2005-2006: Jackie Blane, Maurice Gourd, Dick Hunt, Sunil Jani, Sally Anne March, Ronald Meeks, Michael Minas, Alfred Morrison, Ray Muncey, Hugh Newsam, Roger Nicholls, Bryan Parlett, Nicholas Phillips, Peter Raywood, Andrew Wilson, Anthony Wornum.

91. At its meeting on 17 July 2005 the National Executive Committee agreed to recommend to Conference 2006 that honorary membership be awarded to Arthur Leach in recognition of the exceptionally long and loyal service given by him to NATTKE, BETA and BECTU, and in particular acknowledgement of the service he had given to members in the Arts & Entertainment Division of the union and in the south and west of England. The award was presented to Arthur Leach in Torbay in October 2005 subject to the approval of Conference.

92. At its meeting on 13 November 2005 the National Executive Committee agreed to recommend to Conference 2006 that honorary membership be awarded to Ronald Searle in recognition of his distinguished career in the industry and his long and loyal membership of the union.

93. At its meeting on 29 January 2006 the National Executive Committee agreed to recommend to Conference 2006 that honorary membership be awarded to Rob Willsher in recognition of his outstanding services to BECTU and to ITV members during his years as a rep at Anglia Television.

94. At its meeting on 12 March 2006 the National Executive Committee agreed to recommend to Conference 2006 that honorary membership be awarded to Trevor Owen in recognition of his long and distinguished service to NATTKE, BETA and BECTU members in Wales.

95. Following its meeting on 12 March 2006 the National Executive Committee agreed to recommend to Conference 2006 that honorary memberships be awarded to the union's two trustees, Dennis Claridge and Deryck Lewis, in recognition of their long and distinguished services to, respectively, ACTT and BECTU, and NATTKE, BETA and BECTU. time of writing arrangements are being set up for a meeting between BECTU representatives, our legal advisers and the various parties we are taking action against. A verbal supplementary report will be given to Conference.

The Labour Party

96. BECTU was represented at the 2005 Labour Party Conference, held in Brighton, by AGS Gerry Morrissey and Annabelle Mackenzie. Tony Lennon attended as an observer. BECTU was represented at the 2005 Scottish Labour Party Conference by Turlough MacDaid. David Donovan attended the Wales Labour Party Conference in Swansea on 17-19 March 2005 as BECTU's delegate

Proposition 10/06 Parliamentary committee (AP18)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to create a committee of MPs within parliament who are sympathetic to BECTU's aims, and who can promote the union's interests.

Bush

Proposition 11/06 Labour leader (AP20)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to encourage and then support prospective candidates for the Labour Party leadership who are sympathetic to the trade union movement.

Bush

TUC, Scottish TUC and Wales TUC

97. BECTU's delegation to the 2005 Trades Union Congress comprised Tony Lennon, AGS Martin Spence, Christine Bond, Suresh Chawla, Winston Phillips and Jack Amos. BECTU submitted the following two motions:

Union Diversity Fund

Conference asserts that trade unions are in a unique strategic position to push for real progress on diversity in the workplace. Conference believes however that such crucial interventions are set back by lack of resources to bring them into being.

Conference therefore urges the TUC to campaign for the establishment, by the government as soon as possible, of a Union Diversity Fund to which trade unions can apply for funding of projects to bring about positive change within unions and/or the industries they organise.

Freelance Workers

Congress recognises that a significant proportion of the UK workforce are now engaged on freelance and short-term contracts and that these workers face particular and pressing problems in their employment, including:

  • a continuing confusion on legal employment status, under which some individuals count as 'employees', some count as 'workers' and some count as neither, with severe consequences for employment rights;
  • severe job insecurity, which is exploited by some employers to impose inferior terms and conditions and to offload all risk (e.g. public liability insurance, accident insurance) onto workers; excessively long hours of work allied to routine contractual waivers of the right to a maximum 48-hour week;
  • low hourly rates of pay, sometimes below minimum wage levels and with the use in sectors such as the media of exploitative 'deferred pay' contracts;
  • inferior standards on health and safety, equal opportunities and training provision.

Congress therefore calls on the General Council to continue to campaign for:

  • comprehensive employment rights for freelance workers including a new and inclusive legal definition of 'worker';
  • an end to the 48 hour opt-out and to compulsory waiver clauses;
  • opposition to further undermining of freelance conditions through the deregulatory draft Directive on Services in the Internal Market.

The first motion was carried unamended and the second motion was composited and carried.

98. BECTU's delegation to the 2005 Scottish TUC comprised Turlough MacDaid, Douglas McGill, Michelle Winter, Paul McManus. Delegates to the STUC Congress spoke to motions on the BBC Cuts and Charter Renewal, as well as on the Cultural Commission, Arts Funding, and the Scottish Opera Funding Crisis. BECTU submitted the following motion to the 2005 STUC:

BBC cuts

That this Congress condemns the widespread cuts in budgets and the targeting of 4,000 jobs proposed by BBC management and their refusal to enter into a moratorium to discuss the implications of their action.

Congress notes with concern that cuts between 15% and 46% in some departments, as well as plans to privatise sections of the BBC, will threaten the future of Europe's leading public service broadcaster and will damage its worldwide reputation for equality.

Congress further notes the real threat of serious damage to the BBC in the field of investigative journalism, news and current affairs, drama, music, education and training if the cuts are allowed to proceed.

Congress calls on the senior BBC Scotland management to stop the implementation of these drastic cuts and enter into meaningful negotiation with the three recognised unions, the NUJ, BECTU and Amicus, the long-standing practice of seeking controlled savings through voluntary redundancies and alternative redeployment should be part of those negotiations.

Congress instructs the General Council to raise these concerns with the UK Government and Scottish Executive as a matter of urgency and ask them to recognise the implications to the Scottish economy, democracy and cultural identity of the country.

99. BECTU was represented at the 2005 Wales TUC, which was held in Llandudno from 25 to 27 May, by Si�n Gale, Heidi Williams and David Bumford, with David Donovan attending as an observer. Si�n was also attending in her capacity as member of the Wales TUC General Council, a prestigious position for BECTU as a 'small' union, and also as a member of the Wales TUC Women's Committee. BECTU contributed to the debate on regional broadcasting initiated by Equity. Further, Heidi spoke in support of an emergency motion against the job threats at the BBC, the mover being NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear. Despite difficulty in getting the Council to agree to accept the emergency motion, Conference delegates voted overwhelmingly to hear the motion and voted unanimously in support of it.

100. The wording of the motions were as follows:

Regional broadcasting

The range and diversity of television output from Wales is in danger of being eroded by proposals coming to and from the regulator Ofcom. Employment, production and quality in both languages in all the main broadcasting institutions will be severely compromised if these proposals go unchallenged.

Conference calls on the Wales TUC to work with the Federation of Entertainment Unions in order to protect the quantity, plurality and public service nature of broadcasting in Wales.

Emergency motion - BBC job cuts

This Conference congratulates BBC staff and their unions for the campaign against job cuts and in defence of quality and standards at the BBC.

This Conference condemns the decision by BBC director-general Mark Thompson to impose without negotiations 3,780 job cuts and the privatisation parts of the BBC. Further deplores the decision to axe at least 194 jobs at BBC Wales.

Cuts on such a scale will damage programmes, devalue the BBC and put at risk the BBC's reputation for quality and standards and its continuing right to the licence fee.

Conference applauds the strong stand taken by the BBC unions - NUJ, BECTU and Amicus - in securing huge votes in favour of industrial action to oppose the cuts.

Wales TUC resolves to:

  1. write to the BBC Director General expressing concern at the impact of the job cuts in Wales
  2. circulate an appeal for solidarity to all affiliates
  3. raise the issue with MPs and AMs

101. In addition, in conjunction with the FEU a fringe meeting was organised on 'Broadcasting: The Crisis In Wales'. The key speakers were Jeremy Dear (NUJ) and David Donovan (BECTU), with the meeting being chaired by Chris Ryde (Equity).

Federation of Entertainment Unions

102. BECTU continues to play an active role in the affairs of the FEU. The FEU continues to have regular liaison meetings with the Director General of the BBC, the Chief Executives of Ofcom and the UK Film Council. The TUC now regularly sends Mike Smith as an observer to FEU meetings. The FEU has had a number of meetings with the TUC to set out the particular concerns of FEU unions about the potential impact of the Servicing Directive. The FEU has also campaigned on the Television Without Frontiers Directive. It is actively engaged in the campaign on the BBC Charter Renewal and has now expanded and consolidated the role played by the FEU in the affairs of Skillset. One of the challenges facing the FEU in the coming year will be to put pressure on the Creative Industries Sector Skills Council to raise its game to the same level as that of Skillset.

Directors' Guild of Great Britain

103. Talks with the Directors' Guild of Great Britain (DGGB) about the possibility of a closer relationship (also involving Equity) have continued throughout the year. The issues are complex with major financial and legal implications for all parties. At the time of writing we are taking advice on some of these complicated issues. A verbal report will be given at Conference.

Alliance for the Protection of Copyright

104. BECTU continues to play an active role in the Alliance for the Protection of Copyright (APC) which has a Code of Practice for the protection of individuals who make programme proposals to producers or broadcasters. Other member organisations are the Directors Guild of Great Britain, National Union of Journalists, New Producers Alliance, Society of Authors, Women in Film and Television, and the Writers Guild of Great Britain.

105. At the time of writing the APC is in the process of revising and simplifying the Code of Practice, with the intention of re-launching it in 2006.

Proposition 12/06 Copyright parity with Europe (AP15)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC through the Copyright Committee to pursue and propose a policy document to establish parity with European states (e.g. France and Germany) entrenching authors' rights in the integrity of their work and appropriate fruits thereof.

This policy document should compare and contrast the status of UK creators with European contemporaries as set out in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Other interested parties (e.g. NUJ, Writers' Guild, Creators' Rights Alliance, PACT, British Council of Copyright, and others, as seen fit) should be consulted.

This policy document shall be presented to the next Annual Conference.

Writers Producers & Directors

Joint Industry Grading Scheme

106. BECTU plays an active role in the Joint Industry Grading Scheme (JIGS) Ltd. This is a company limited by guarantee, established jointly by trade unions and employers in order to provide a legal framework for grading schemes/registers in safety-critical areas of film and TV production. JIGS provides clear, transparent procedures for establishing the competence of individuals working in these specialist areas, and for resolving any disputes which may arise.

107. Member organisations of JIGS in addition to BECTU are Equity, the BBC, ITV, and PACT. JIGS oversees the Special Effects Grading Scheme and the Joint Industry Stunts Committee, and discussions are under way on bringing in the SITAC (Riggers) scheme as well.

UNI-MEI and EURO-MEI

108. BECTU has remained affiliated to UNI-MEI and President Tony Lennon and the General Secretary continue to represent BECTU on its Executive Committee. UNI-MEI is the media entertainment international section of Union Network International.

109. The Executive Committee of UNI-MEI meeting took place in Chicago on 22 August 2005 and was attended by the President, Tony Lennon, and Jane Perry. The UNI World Congress was held in Chicago on 22-25 August and BECTU was represented at this Conference by Tony Lennon and Jane Perry. Jane Perry also attended the UNI Women's Conference in Chicago from 20-21 August 2005.

110. The European section of UNI-MEI, EURO-MEI, has also continued an active programme of work since Conference 2005. BECTU is represented on the Executive Committee of EURO-MEI by the General Secretary and AGS Gerry Morrissey.

111. AGS Martin Spence, Tony Lennon, Doug McGill and Jane Perry attended the EURO-MEI Film and TV Production Conference held in Budapest on 27 May 2005.

112. Tudor Gates, Roberta Thompson and Agnieszka Piotrowska attended the EURO-MEI seminar for creators held in Amsterdam on 12 and 13 November 2005.

Proposition 13/06 Unesco Cultural Diversity Convention (AP14)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to lobby the government to ratify Unesco's Convention to Protect Cultural Diversity in order to help it become UK, European and international law. The NEC is further instructed to liaise with the 35 national cultural coalitions which fought for the Convention, through the Independent Film Parliament, or some other means, as part of BECTU's role in protecting and encouraging a range of cinema for UK audiences and healthy and diverse selection of British films on our screens.

Writers Producers & Directors

Audio Visual Conference, Liverpool

113. On 20-22 September 2005, AGS Gerry Morrissey represented BECTU at the Audio Visual Conference organised by the DCMS as part of the UK's presidency of the EU. All the major broadcasters from across Europe were represented at the Conference. Keynote speeches were made by Mark Thompson, BBC Director General; Charles Allen, ITV Chief Executive; James Murdoch, BSkyB; and EU Commissioner Vivian Reding, amongst others. The main topic discussed was the review of the Television Without Frontiers Directive. The broadcasters were seeking major deregulation, but it was clear from the contribution made by Commissioner Reding that the European Commission was unlikely to deregulate to the level desired by the broadcasters. BECTU is opposed to deregulation and believes the current regulatory framework should be extended to new media.

BECTU and IATSE

114. Further progress was made during the course of 2005 and 2006 in strengthening the relationship between BECTU and IATSE. BECTU's President Tony Lennon attended the IATSE Congress which took place in Hawaii on 18-22 July 2005. Tom Short, the International President of IATSE, came to London in November 2005 and useful discussions were held.

115. Following those discussions it was agreed that:

  1. BECTU would facilitate the attendance of an IATSE observer at the negotiations that were to take place between BECTU and the Society of London Theatres;
  2. that BECTU and IATSE would continue to examine ways of closer working in respect of the motion picture industry;
  3. that one of IATSE's organising officials would assist BECTU in its recruitment campaign at Sky Broadcasting in the autumn of 2006;
  4. that BECTU would provide to IATSE all the information it could in respect of the 'Move on Up' events that had been organised in the UK to assist IATSE embark upon similar initiatives in the USA.

116. The NEC has invited Tom Short to be a guest at BECTU's 2006 Conference.

International Affiliation of English Speaking Directors Organisations

117. The International Affiliation of English Speaking Directors Organisations (IAESDO) brings together screen directors' organisations from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.

118. The 2005 meeting of IAESDO took place in Toronto, and was attended by AGS Martin Spence. Issues discussed included a successful rights campaign in Australia and a reactionary change to US copyright law which undermines the integrity of directors' work. The meeting agreed a revised draft of the Affiliation Agreement, which has since been accepted by BECTU's NEC. It resolved that the role of secretariat in 2005-2006 should be performed by the Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand, and that the 2006 meeting should take place in London in October.

BECTU's affiliations

119. The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 17 July 2005 agreed to affiliate to the Football Supporters Federation at a cost of £150 per annum. The reason for affiliation was that the Football Supporters Federation aimed to promote trade unionism amongst football supporters and were seeking support and affiliation from trade unions.

120. The National Executive Committee agreed at its meeting on 13 March 2005 to affiliate to the International Affiliation of English Speaking Directors Organisations (IAESDO - see above) at a cost of £2,000 per annum. This affiliation became effective after the 2005 Annual Conference.

121. The National Executive Committee agreed at its meeting on 12 March 2006 to become a subscribing supporter of the Mary Macarthur Holiday Trust at a cost of £100 per annum.

122. At the same meeting the National Executive Committee agreed to affiliate to the Trade Justice Movement at a cost of £250 per annum.

123. BECTU has remained affiliated to the following organisations since Annual Conference in June 2005 (latest affiliation fees shown) [all figures in £ sterling]:

General Fund

Political Fund

Proposition 14/06 Support of candidates in elections (AP19)

That this Annual Conference notes that this Labour government has continued with policies that are directly contrary to those of BECTU.

Therefore this Conference instructs BECTU's NEC to allow Branches of the union to support candidates, in addition to Labour Party candidates, at local, regional, national and general elections so long as the candidates support the aims and objects of the union.

No BECTU body shall support in any way the British National Party (BNP) or any other fascist organisation.

London TV News
Bush
Radio & Music Production

Proposition 15/06 Disaffiliation from the Labour Party (AP21)

That this Annual Conference notes that in government the Labour Party has

  1. allowed all public services to be exploited for private gain, for example through outsourcing and privatisation;
  2. supported America in the illegal war and occupation of Iraq;
  3. broken the Warwick Agreement made with the trade unions to protect pensions and jobs.

Therefore this Conference instructs the NEC to disaffiliate BECTU from the Labour Party.

London TV News
Radio & Music Production

Research

124. The main policy issues dealt with by the union's research office in the past year are set out below under broad subject headings.

Broadcasting

125. The BBC Charter Review continues to be a major focus of interest. The union made submissions:

After postponement the White Paper was eventually published on 14 March 2006. At the time of writing the union is preparing its response.

126. In terms of the ITV network, BECTU also responded to the Ofcom consultation on the Nations and Regions. Issues covered included proposals on non-news programming, networking arrangements, news and S4C.

127. The Ofcom consultation on its Production Sector Review (encompassing the independent production sector) was still awaited at the time of writing. BECTU's Freelance Production Questionnaire may prove useful in this context. Earlier activity in relation to this sector has included a company by company analysis of the 'Super-Indies'.

Proposition 16/06 Ofcom and political advertising (AP17)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to lobby Ofcom to review its definition and prohibition of television and radio adverts they define as political. This proposition is being submitted because in September 2005 Ofcom banned television and radio adverts by the Make Poverty History coalition (representing nearly 500 voluntary groups).

IT Services

Film

128. The main policy issue in the past year has been the government's proposals for a revision of film tax incentives. BECTU made submissions to both the Treasury (on the reform of film tax incentives) and DCMS (on the cultural test for British films). The union's lobbying activity was immensely helped by a public campaign involving members.

129. The resulting proposals have generally been regarded as beneficial. They incorporate some specific amendments to the cultural test to take account of BECTU's concern to provide incentives for the use of the whole UK film workforce and facilities rather than just an elite. The union has made further comments on the draft guidelines for implementing the proposals.

Proposition 17/06 Regional screen agencies (AP13)

That this Annual Conference acknowledges the strategic importance and influence of the regional screen agencies in assisting the funding of film productions, encouraging new talent within the region, and developing new business in the sector. Conference believes that initiatives led by the screen agencies, for example on diversity or minimum rates of pay, could have an important knock-on effect on the rest of the industry within their region.

In view of the public funding that screen agencies receive and disseminate, BECTU believes that there should be full public accountability and greater input from the industry's workers within each region into the strategic direction that they take.

Conference instructs the NEC to ensure that BECTU is represented on the boards of these regional screen agencies.

North West Freelance

Europe

130. BECTU continues to lobby on the draft Directive on Services in the Internal Market through our own briefings of MEPs and by working with the TUC and Euro-MEI. In February 2006 we welcomed the vote by the European Parliament to support the removal of the 'country of origin' principle and the exclusion of labour law provisions and the audio-visual sector. We were disappointed that the Parliament did not support an exclusion for the cultural sector as a whole including live entertainment. The Directive's final content is still being negotiated between the Parliament, Commission, and Council of Ministers.

131. There has been an ongoing focus on the review of the Working Time Directive, and specifically on the 48 hour opt-out. At the time of writing, the latest proposals from the UK government retained the opt-out and the campaign to phase it out therefore continues.

132. A new issue in the review of the Television Without Frontiers Directive is the incorporation of the European programme quota and the debate on whether to include new 'non-linear' services (e.g. video on demand) within the Directive's scope. A supplementary verbal report will be given.

133. BECTU continues to convene meetings of the European Working Group, attended by Mary Honeyball MEP.

Employment Law

134. The union made a submission to the DTI consultation on its draft Code on Access and Unfair Practices during union recognition campaigns. BECTU's approach reflected our experience of the campaign at BSkyB.

135. The union continued to press for a more inclusive approach to the employment status of freelance workers (i.e. clearer and more extensive rights under employment law), but without any great expectation of appropriate government action.

Proposition 18/06 Extras' agencies (AP11)

That this Annual Conference instructs the NEC to continue negotiations with the DTI, if necessary via the TUC, to tighten regulation of extras' agencies, and where appropriate employment agencies, with particular emphasis on the following:

  1. licencing to be reintroduced and made compulsory before any new agency is allowed to trade, and all existing agencies to be given a set time limit to register;
  2. new agencies to be vetted before allowing them to operate;
  3. enforcement of ten-day turn-around of monies paid into the agency account on behalf of extras;
  4. more stringent rules on up-front fees and commission rates, allowing for regional variations and not purely based on London, where the turnover in one day can be equal to a year's turnover in smaller areas;
  5. abolition of the practice of offering people a one-off job and deducting fees from their payment.
Scottish Freelance

Amendment (i)

Delete "and where appropriate employment agencies," and in sub-clause (d) delete all after "commission rates"

Film Artistes

Amendment (ii)

Add new sentence at end: "Conference further instructs the NEC to issue a written report on progress within six months, or to report to the next Annual Conference."

Scottish Freelance

BECTU's legal service

136. BECTU has put its legal service out to tender, with the bidders including our existing service providers, Thompsons. Tenders by Thompsons, Edwards Duthie, Russell Jones & Walker, and Digby Brown were reviewed by the Finance & General Purposes Committee on 24 February 2006.

137. In respect of the legal service for England and Wales, the F&GPC recommended that Thompsons should retain the contract. In respect of the legal service for Scotland, the F&GPC were unable to come to a conclusion. On 12 March 2006 the NEC endorsed the F&GPC's recommendation, and agreed to revisit the question of legal services in Scotland within twelve months.

138. The union has held regular meetings with Thompsons to monitor the provision of the service and the internal legal panel meets monthly to oversee referrals to the lawyers.

139. The legal service continues to win significant financial compensation for members in employment and personal injury cases, while the 24-hour helpline for non-employment matters has received over 1,000 calls in the past year.

Copyright

140. BECTU's work on copyright encompasses the union's Copyright Committee; our copyright consultant Janet Ibbotson; our affiliation to the collecting society DACS and to the Alliance for the Protection of Copyright (APC); and our Script Registration Service.

141. Issues covered during the past year include the FEU Rights Committee, Artists' Resale Right, the WIPO Broadcasting Treaty, Performers' Moral Rights and the Creative Commons.

142. BECTU has now produced a Programme Proposal Pack providing advice to members when submitting programme ideas to broadcasters and production companies. The aim of the pack is to ensure that members protect themselves against copyright theft.

Health and safety

143. Health and safety issues at the workplace continue to be handled by our network of safety representatives and activists, with support where appropriate from the relevant full-time officials.

144. Activity on health and safety from BECTU Head Office has included:

  • the BECTU National Health and Safety Committee, which has been extended to include additional co-opted members with the aim of establishing a broader H&S forum from which members can report back to their constituencies within the union
  • the H&S Bulletin, distributed to all safety reps and activists on our database
  • representation on the relevant HSE Committees: FBJAC (the HSE joint advisory committee for our sector), the Training Working Group (for training on H&S), and the newly-formed Film Industry Safety Group
  • lobbying on health and safety issues, e.g. representations to the HSE Worker Involvement Programme on improved rights of safety representation for freelance workers, on the case for roving safety reps, and on amending the Safety Reps Regulations to allow BECTU to appoint non-employees as safety reps
  • reprint and redesign of the BECTU H&S Handbook
  • reprint and redesign of the H&S Craft Cards
  • renewal of safety reps' accreditation cards.

145. Other health and safety issues arising during the year have included: lone working with cameras; a revision of the HSE-approved Health and Safety in Film Production [pdf]; HSE visits and inspections (including the BBC); the Noise at Work Regulations and a related Code of Practice for Music and Entertainment; unsafe use of camera cranes; guidance on the CDM (Construction Design and Management) regulations for the Film Industry; and occupational standards in safety-critical grades.

146. Additional health and safety activity within BECTU includes the programme of health and safety training courses and the Health & Safety section on the bectuforum website bulletin board.

Skillset Research Committee

147. BECTU is represented on the committee overseeing Skillset's work in gathering and making available data on the labour market in our sector. In the past year this has included publication of the fifth Census Report on the Audiovisual Industries; the 2005 Workforce Survey (including questionnaires issued with our cooperation to many BECTU members); and the Freelance Film Production Workforce Survey.

Proposition 19/06 Service to freelance members (AP7)

That this Annual Conference instructs the union to conduct a survey of all freelance members to ascertain whether the service the union is offering is appropriate to members who are very vulnerable to bullying and exploitation by some unscrupulous employers.

Hair & Makeup

The BECTU History Project

148. The Project is committed to recording, initially by audio and currently by audio visual media, the histories of the men and women who have made their working lives in our industries. Initiated by a group of members of one of BECTU's predecessor unions, the project has grown into an archive of national and international significance.

149. Strongly supported from its inception by the union which has provided key resources to the Project, all interviews are carried out by the volunteer members of the group. More than 550 interviews have now been recorded with technicians, performers, craftspeople and directors, writers and producers from across our industries.

150. The past year has seen continuing close collaboration with our key partner the British Film and Television Institute which houses our growing archive for public access and uses our interviews on its Screenonline website. Good relationships have been maintained with other local and national partners in the academic and industry spheres including the Royal Television Society, the British Universities Film and Video Council and the Elstree Heritage Group.

151. This year the Project seeks to increase the volunteer base for providing technical back up skills for recordings and recruit new interviewers to extend systematically our recording activity. We also need to enhance our website to raise our game significantly in telling the world what we're about and pursue our long term aim of encouraging the use of our material in secondary education to explain to new generations the skills, the energy, the creativity and sheer hard graft of the men and women who build and shape the industries which in turn shape our world.

General Equality Committee

152. The General Equality Committee (GEC) met four times during 2005. The committee comprises Christine Bond, chair (RPD), Rebecca Whitehead (A&E), Ann Pointon (Disabled Members Network), Moira Thomson (LPD), Peter John (Labs), Fred Campbell (Black Members Committee), Al Garthwaite (RPD), Angie Scurr (BBC), Edna Hewitson (RPD) and Jane Perry (NEC rapporteur). Fred Campbell tendered his resignation following redundancy from NTL, and Edna Hewitson is now a retired honorary member. The committee expresses its thanks to Fred and Edna and wishes them well in the future. The committee is serviced by Kate Elliott, replacing Brian Kelly in March 2005.

153. Throughout 2005 the committee continued to campaign around domestic violence, and the need to have a domestic violence policy for both employed and freelance workers. At Annual Conference 2005 a survey was distributed asking questions about whether members have been subjected to domestic violence and how this has been dealt with in the workplace; also whether a policy would help clarify certain situations. 61 forms were returned and this excellent response has shaped the draft policy.

154. The GEC organised a fringe meeting for women at the 2006 Annual Conference, attended by 30 women delegates, which agreed that there should be a BECTU National Women's Event in November 2005.

155. The BECTU National Women's Event duly took place on Saturday 12 November and was attended by a wide cross-section of women from the Divisions and Branches of BECTU. Various workshops took place including an induction for new reps run by NO Anna Murray, negotiation training run by SO Sharon Elliott, a self-defence class and a workshop on domestic violence which looked at the BECTU draft policies. Tamsin Larby, Director of 'V Day - Until the Violence Stops' spoke at length about the need for unions to push for workplaces to recognise the need for a policy on domestic violence. Many new members and reps attended this day, and it is hoped that they will remain active in BECTU following their positive experience of the day.

156. In early 2006 the GEC will be presenting policy drafts on domestic violence for recommendation to the NEC that can then be adopted by BECTU for use in workplace negotiations.

Black Members' Committee

Move on Up

157. The campaign for diversity made substantial progress in 2005. Encouraged by the success of Move on Up, the diversity event we ran at the TUC in November 2003, the Black Members' Committee resolved to extend the initiative.

158. The initiative is a real attempt to address a serious problem faced by many black and minority ethnic professionals in the film and broadcasting industry: lack of contacts with key decision makers, in a contacts-driven industry. The problem is addressed by organising one-to-one meetings between Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) professionals and industry executives. A survey of the participants several months after the original event indicated that 10% did go on to get work as a result of the contacts made.

159. The committee resolved to run another film and broadcasting industry event in London. After approaches from BBC Radio it was agreed to run an additional Move on Up event for radio, and at the request of Cultural Diversity Network North (CDN North), the broadcasters' diversity network based in Manchester, the committee included Move on Up North in the plans.

160. After a great deal of effort and several applications, the committee succeeded in obtaining funding for the £211,000 project from the Equal Fund. The funding came via the AudioVisual Entrepreneurship Development Partnership led by Skillset and the UK Film Council. Much of the funding is to enable the diversity officer and journal editor to devote most of her time to organising the Move on Up initiative through the temporary employment of an acting editor (see the paragraphs below on the journal). The aim was to ensure that the union benefited from groundbreaking diversity activities while at the same time having a journal of at least the same quality as before, for no extra cost. The funding has to be matched either financially or in kind (including people's time, for example) and so we have built up support from our partner organisations.

161. Move on Up North was held very successfully on 8 February 2006. The organisers scheduled 423 one-to-one meetings between more than 150 BME professionals and 65 industry executives. Eleven workshops were also organised for the event. BECTU worked extremely closely with the BBC in organising the event; the BBC and screen agency North West Vision very kindly pledged financial support, while ITV Granada and 3sixtymedia donated a substantial venue comprising a television studio and two floors of the Granada building in Quay Street, Manchester.

162. The views of the participants in the earlier survey were taken on board, in particular the desire for executives from big independent production companies and post-production companies to be involved. These proved to be popular choices for the BME professionals at Move on Up North.

163. After Move on Up North the next event will be Move on Up in Radio, pencilled in for October/November 2006, which has the backing of BBC Radio and the Radio Academy. Our final Equal-funded event will be for film and broadcasting, at the TUC in May 2007. The Black Members' Committee has held a meeting with its NUJ counterpart as the BBC was keen to involve NUJ grades in the radio event. The NUJ has responded warmly to this proposal.

Wider interest in Move on Up

164. We were delighted to find that there is growing interest, nationally and internationally, in BECTU's diversity strategy. The office of the Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, Margaret Hodge, has indicated that the Minister would like to discuss the project and how it might be used more widely in other industries.

165. IATSE International President Tom Short visited BECTU in November 2005 and requested briefings on the Black Members Committee and the Move on Up initiative, to assist IATSE in the formulation of its diversity strategy. IATSE has invited BECTU for discussions on diversity with the union in the United States. The committee hopes that when this goes ahead, the discussions will include the possibility of a joint approach from the two unions to the American majors who operate on both sides of the Atlantic, to adopt a high quality diversity policy to apply in both the British and US film industry.

Union Diversity Fund

166. During the lengthy attempts to seek financial support, the committee realised that other unions wishing to undertake diversity programmes would find it equally difficult to obtain funding. The committee also strongly believes that trade unions are uniquely placed to effect substantial progress on diversity in the workplace. It therefore put forward a resolution to the National Executive Committee proposing that the TUC campaign for the government to set up a Union Diversity Fund. Unions could apply to it for funding for diversity projects. The NEC put it forward for debate at the TUC in September. The motion was adopted as the policy of the TUC.

Diversity in theatres

167. Alongside the film and broadcasting initiative the committee has attempted to move ahead on diversity in the theatre industry, primarily with the Arts Council of England. Progress on diversity is sorely needed in theatres as research has shown that BME employment in theatres is worse than that in film and broadcasting. Several meetings were held over the year and at BECTU's request the ACE carried out research into the number of BME graduates of theatre courses that could lead to employment in BECTU grades in theatres. This showed that there were so few BME graduates that there was effectively no pool of qualified professionals equivalent to that in film and broadcasting, who might have been attracted into theatre jobs. This made BECTU conclude that it would be necessary to look at traditional routes into backstage theatre work as a focus for diversity action. The committee was frustrated at a perceived lack of progress with ACE, but at the time of writing ACE had indicated that it wishes to restart planning a diversity initiative with BECTU.

168. During the year the National Campaign for the Arts issued a Manifesto for Diversity about which BECTU, Equity and the Musicians Union had substantial reservations. This led to the three unions holding a joint meeting in December to discuss diversity in theatres and resolving to work together on a joint union programme. BECTU is currently working on obtaining equality monitoring data from theatres via ACE to establish a baseline from which to work.

Black Leadership Initiative

169. This initiative goes hand in hand with the other work of the committee. A key aim of the committee is to increase representation on union committees at every level. A lot of effort this year went into increasing representation at Branch committee and Divisional committee level in London Production Division, working with key officials and lay members. This has had some success.

BECTU Disabled Members Network

170. The BECTU Disabled Members Network is a loosely organised group of around forty members of the union who are disabled, or actively concerned with disability issues, or both. It is the means whereby the union's work on disability can by guided by disabled members themselves.

171. The Network is supported by a committee of disabled representatives from each of BECTU's six Divisions. The chair of the committee is Ann Pointon and its vice chair is Turlough MacDaid. Jane Perry is the committee's 'rapporteur' from the NEC.

172. The Network published its fourth Newsletter in time for Annual Conference in June 2005. It is hoped another Newsletter can be published before the 2006 Conference. In relation to Conference 2006, the committee has noted that Eastbourne Borough Council has published the Eastbourne Access Guide 2005/6; this is downloadable from the Eastbourne Council website.

173. There was a disappointing response to the equality monitoring carried out among the 224 registered participants at the 2005 Conference, with only 39 responses being returned (seven of whom identified as disabled). No reliable results could be derived from such a small sample. The committee has welcomed the decision to attach the monitoring form to the expenses form for the 2006 Conference (with appropriate safeguards for confidentiality) as a means of promoting a higher response. All participants (not only delegates) are encouraged to comply.

174. At its meeting on 5 July 2005 the committee considered the BECTU staff equal opportunities policy referred to it for comment. The NEC subsequently agreed to a wording change suggested by the committee. The union's equal opportunity policy as adopted at the 2005 Conference was also referred to the committee (and to the Black Members Subcommittee and General Equality Committee) for comment. The committee took the view that for historical reasons the policy was overly indebted to the CRE model, and that the interests of disabled people (and women for that matter) had been included as an afterthought. A complete re-write would be the best, but not quickest, solution. The Disabled Members Network committee stands ready to collaborate on this when the other two equality committees form their own views.

175. The committee has followed with interest the progress of the redevelopment project at the rear of the Clapham Road Head Office, and welcomed the opportunities it presents for improved access. It was pleased to learn that the union has instructed disability access consultants Babel to seek planning permission and listed building consent for the construction of a permanent wheelchair ramp at Head Office, doing away with the faulty and unsightly mechanical lift. The committee has also kept in contact with the union's Communications Committee and has been guaranteed appropriate input on the accessibility of upgraded or redesigned communications, and the union's website in particular.

176. As in previous years members of the committee represented the union at disability Conferences organised by the TUC and STUC. Turlough MacDaid is an elected member of the STUC Disabled Workers Committee. The chair continues to represent the union on the Trade Union Disability Alliance, and other members of the committee have been able to attend TUDA meetings.

177. In May 2005 the General Secretary of the NUJ, Jeremy Dear, proposed an exploratory liaison meeting of disabled representatives from the unions affiliated to the Federation of Entertainment Unions, which was warmly welcomed by the committee. Unfortunately the initiative had to be postponed during the summer, first because of the industrial action at the BBC and then by the terrorist incidents in London, and subsequently by the arrival of the autumn Conference season. At the time of writing a date in the spring of 2006 is anticipated.

178. For a second year the committee was pleased that the NEC accepted its recommendation to support the Disability Film Festival at the NFT in December 2005 with a modest donation and publicity assistance.

179. The committee has received briefings on legislative issues including the formation through the DWP of the Office for Disability Issues, the amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 that took effect in October 2004, the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 that took effect in December 2005, the public sector duty to promote disability equality taking effect in December this year, the progress of the Equality Bill (which received Royal Assent in February 2006) leading towards the creation in 2007 of a single Commission for Equality and Human Rights, and the ongoing Government Equalities Review.

Scottish Committee

180. The Scottish Committee met on four occasions in 2005, and members continue in their efforts to ensure it is well attended and active in all aspects of lobbying and campaigning, on both industry and general political issues.

181. The committee nominated delegates to the STUC Congress and Women's Congress, the Scottish Labour Party Conference, and various one-day and weekend Discussion Forums. A number of these events surrounded the constitutional amendments to the composition of the STUC General Council.

182. The committee noted with concern the special one-day Congress, which passed a motion potentially consolidating control of the General Council in the hands of three or four large unions, with fewer representation opportunities for small unions.

183. The committee is also continuing its efforts to reinvigorate the Scottish Federation of Entertainment Unions, which has only had one quorate meeting in 2005, although representatives of the SFEU have held joint meetings with MSPs and Ministers to lobby on issues of joint concern.

Wales Committee

184. The Wales Committee met during January, February and March of 2005. The main business of the committee was to nominate delegates and to recommend motions for the approval of the NEC to the Welsh Labour and Wales TUC Conferences.

Ireland Committee

185. The Ireland Committee met once during 2005 and was attended by BECTU reps from the Ireland North freelance Branch, BBC Northern Ireland, NTL (now Arqiva) and the Grand Opera House Belfast. This opportunity to meet has led to messages of solidarity between the Branches at times of dispute and a sharing of expertise and in March 2006 a special training event for all reps was held in Belfast.

186. BECTU sent a delegate, Willis McBriar, and observers, Towy Neale and Eveline Sullivan to the Biennial ICTU Congress in Belfast in June 2005. Felicity Clements of Ulster TV has been nominated to attend the ICTU Women's Conference in 2006.

Learning and skills

187. The following paragraphs contain details of the union's activity in the area of learning and skills during 2005. The work of the Training Officer and the training team is monitored on behalf of the NEC by the Training Committee.

188. This section is divided into two parts: externally funded projects, and the promotion and advocacy of vocational training in partnership with external organisations in the audio-visual sector and in Arts & Entertainment.

Externally funded projects

189. A number of projects funded by external sources (the Union Learning Fund and the Wales Union Learning Fund) have continued during 2005 and into 2006. They are listed below.

190. External funding has played an important part in the learning and skills initiatives that BECTU has been able to organise in recent years and it should be recorded that the support of the ULF funders, the senior officers of the union, the NEC and many members has been critical in making this work a success. Although managed by the Training Officer, the success of our project work is due the hard work and imagination of the learning organising team.

LPD Freelance Learning Advisors Project

191. This project has led to considerable activity on behalf of freelance members. The main focus of the project in 2005 and into 2006 has been to pilot a series of courses for freelancers in audio-visual departments. However some of the courses are generic and will be made available across other Divisions too.

192. A second focus has been to find a way to co-ordinate the work of our many members involved in learning and skills and to realise the practical experience they can offer to the union and the wider industry. To this end, a BECTU Freelance Learning and Skills Network has been established with an inaugural meeting being convened in London on 11 February 2006. It is hoped that the network members will contribute to our learning and skills representations on various bodies and provide input to policy debates to assist the Training Committee and NEC.

193. The courses organised up to the end of March 2006 include:

  • Final Cut Pro 1
  • Final Cut Pro 2
  • 3-D Animation
  • Creating a 3-D Storyline
  • Learn to Edit Your Own Film
  • Movie Magic Budgeting and Scheduling
  • Presenting Your Work: CV Writing and Portfolios
  • Presenting Yourself: Pitching, Making Presentations
  • Learning Styles: Learn to Learn.

194. There have been a total of 20 courses run with 130 members attending. The courses above have been run in collaboration with University College of Creative Arts in Surrey. We've been getting extensive feedback to find out what kind of courses freelancers think we should be doing, which would be useful to them in furthering or broadening their careers. Weekend courses have been piloted to accommodate freelancers availability with heavily subsidised fees made possible by ULF support. During 2006 we will pilot using the software in more creative individual ways, but within the limits of the software licence restrictions, i.e. for educational rather than commercial purposes.

195. We are looking at developing partnerships with other institutions, e.g. Ravensbourne and Westminster Kingsway College. Every workshop has had a Skillset session from Skillset Careers, giving information on the service and how to get a careers interview. Skillset have given discounts for careers interviews for all on these courses.

RPD Learning Reps project - 'BECTU's Listening'

196. In addition to arranging and providing courses that have been identified by BECTU members, the project is also piloting an innovative approach to what is known as 'brokering'. This involves meeting members, often on location, and finding out what courses they need and then working with training providers to deliver it. This resolves the difficulty faced by freelancers of the lack of time to find out what courses are on offer.

'TOSCA Take 2' (including Vocational 'bitesize' for theatre workers)

197. 'Tosca Take 2' continues the work of the original TOSCA project but with the following changes:

  • a focus on vocational training opportunities (not basic and key skills)
  • broadening the work of the project beyond A&E
  • focusing on the union's organising targets.

198. Some of the vocational bite-sized courses delivered so far include:

  • Essential Skills of Stage Rigging - Really Useful Theatres - 13 attendees
  • Working at Height - Really Useful Theatres - 13 attendees
  • Essential Skills of Stage Rigging - Plymouth Theatre Royal - 12 attendees
  • Art of Being Brilliant - Really Useful Theatres FOH staff - 15 attendees
  • Art of being Brilliant - Newcastle Theatre Royal FOH staff - 15 attendees
  • Practical Pyrotechnics Safety Awareness - Theatre Royal Plymouth, Hall For Cornwall Truro, Princess Theatre Torquay, and Northcott Theatre Exeter - 27 attendees
  • Ropes and Splicing Masterclass - Ambassador Theatre Group - 10 attendees
  • Art of Being Brilliant - NIMAX front-of-house staff (to be confirmed)

199. In addition, over 90 people attended a Learning at Work day at Ambassador Theatre Group in the West End. This approach has the value of involving rank and file members and activists in planning and shaping a major event. It gives them confidence in their ability to organise, raises the reputation of BECTU and lays the basis for successful organising campaigns.

200. In another initiative, Mick Corfield of the Cineworld SDC with support from the Head Office team organised a one-day projectionist course in partnership with the BKSTS. The first two courses attracted about one third of the total membership in Cineworld and led to the recruitment of seven new members. The initiative has raised the profile of BECTU and led to the employer paying for release to attend.

Capital Fund

201. The Capital Fund is managed by the Union Learning Fund and designed to help unions invest in capital equipment in support of their learning and skills activities. We were successful in securing support for a project entitled 'Anytime, anyplace, anywhere: Using IT to involve people at work in learning wherever they are'. The project is in partnership with other FEU unions (Equity, NUJ and WGGB).

202. We have entered bids for an upgrade for the learningstudio website, up-to-date laptops and desktop PCs for officials who deal regularly with learning and skills issues, and significant investment in IT training equipment (HD camera, HDTVs, wireless laptops for the training room at Head Office).

Soho Learning Project

203. The Soho Learning Project came to an end in March 2005. Two reports were commissioned and published, one on the Soho post production sector and one covering West End theatre and National Houses. The reports have been published and distributed to all partners and participants in the research: copies are available on request from Head Office.

The promotion and advocacy of vocational training in partnership with external organisations

204. The second aspect of the Training Officer's area of responsibility concerns the promotion and advocacy of vocational training, in the main for freelance members in film and TV but also including members in Arts & Entertainment and more indirectly members in BBC, Independent Broadcasting and Labs.

205. The external bodies in which we have participated during 2004 include: Skillset committees for film skills and TV skills and the development of Sector Skills Agreements; Skillset Regional Skills panels; Scottish Audio-visual Development Group; Scottish Industries Skills Panel; FT2; Arts and Entertainment Technical Training Initiative (AETTI); Skillscene (formerly TTTS); Association of British Theatre Technicians Education Committee (ABTT); Cultural and Creative Industries Sector Skills Council (CCskills); FEU Training Committee; TUC National Training Network.

206. FT2 (Freelance Training for Film and TV) remains the pre-eminent new entrants' training scheme in the industry. It is a partnership between PACT and BECTU which also involves the BBC, Channel 4, APA and MPA. FT2 trainees continue to be held in high regard throughout our industries. Nevertheless 2005-06 has been a challenging time with the rapidly expanding responsibilities of Skillset continuing to pose questions about the continuation of the current FT2 apprenticeship model. These questions concern the potential role of colleges in providing new entrant training, the cost associated with paying trainees and the small numbers that FT2 are able to process. BECTU will continue to argue strongly for a first class industry trainee programme that supports trainees and pays them a living wage.

Proposition 20/06 Unpaid work experience (AP10)

That this Annual Conference deplores the increasing practice by employers of using work experience candidates as unpaid labour. Conference requests the NEC to monitor such abuses where practical and remind employers of the supernumerary and exclusively training nature of work experience, in an effort to eradicate this practice.

Writers Producers & Directors

207. The key developments at Skillset have concerned the publication of the Film, TV and Interactive Sector Skills Agreements (SSA), a continuing qualifications strategy consultation and the establishment of a training co-regulatory body for public service remit broadcasters (the body is made up of independents, Ofcom and Skillset). There has also been the establishment of a number of Screen Academies for film.

208. The SSAs are agreements between the industry and education and training suppliers (colleges, universities and other training providers) to prioritise the provision of training in areas identified in the agreement. The agreement also commits all industry partners to take steps to support the identified training priorities: for BECTU this entails organising Union Learning Representatives to broker training opportunities for members.

209. The qualifications strategy will be partly determined by the evolution of a national New Qualifications Framework (NQF). This provides for the accreditation of training programmes lasting just one day and their accumulation into credits that add up to formal qualifications, though this will take a number of years to come fully into effect. In the short term much of the effort will be going into a new induction programme for new entrants, a diploma for the 14-19 age group and a new vocational qualification for new entrants.

210. Skillset will be working particularly closely with City & Guilds in the future and this relationship plus the emerging qualifications have led Skillset to allow the registration of the current suite of NVQs to lapse. However, there has been the introduction of new NVQs for Grips and for Stagehands.

211. Within the A&E occupational area there has been the establishment of a new sector skills council called CCskills. The FEU is represented on the board by Christine Payne, General Secretary of Equity. The main effort has been with a company set up to replace TTTS, Skillscene, with Training Officer Brian Kelly on the board and NO Kate Elliott also participating. The main objective of the organisation is to pilot workplace assessments of theatre workers using existing occupational standards drawn from a variety of sources. We are supportive of the initiative so far as it will contribute to the policy aim of achieving national qualifications in theatre.

212. The work of the Training Officer concerning BECTU reps and activist training is contained in the Recruitment and Retention section of the Conference report above.

Stage Screen & Radio

213. The key focus of the journal over the last year was the union's strike action, in which national stoppages in ITV were followed within weeks by the national strike at the BBC. The April, May and June issues in particular covered the action with the May issue carrying additional information for those who have never been on strike, explaining what precisely they should do on that day. The journal followed up both national disputes in subsequent issues to keep all members up to date with the success of their action.

214. The journal assisted the campaigns in the freelance areas of the union by encouraging mass turnout at key meetings (such as that of a new electricians' branch) and in the search for past crew members at The Bill. This search was necessary to establish the identity of those who could vote in the recognition ballot. The run of bad news facing workers in the Laboratories Division was also carried by the journal.

215. In Arts & Entertainment the journal's coverage included reports on the continuing discussions with the Society of London Theatre and the Theatrical Management Association, along with campaigns to make parliament aware of BECTU members' concerns.

216. The letters page was used by members to discuss a wide range of matters. One letter asked what had happened to the original cut of the classic film The Wicker Man, which led within days of publication to the film's editor providing a definitive account of what happened during and after production more than 20 years ago.

Proposition 21/06 Articles in Stage Screen & Radio (AP5)

That this Annual Conference requests the NEC to look at the viability and desirability of paying members NUJ rates for contributions to Stage Screen & Radio, and reporting its findings to next year's Annual Conference.

Writers Producers & Directors

217. The journal carried BECTU's call for members to vote Labour at the General Election in May 2005, though it also ran criticisms of some of the newly elected Labour government's plans and actions. This included an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair after his victory urging immediate intervention on pressing issues in the media and entertainment industries.

218. Substantial coverage was given to the union's diversity programme Move on Up, a programme which led to developments regarding the magazine itself. Much of the funding for the diversity programme was to enable the diversity officer and journal editor to devote most of her time to organising the Move on Up initiative through the temporary employment of an acting editor, Rebecca Wingate-Saul, to July 2007. The aim was to ensure that the union benefited from groundbreaking diversity activities while at the same time having a journal of at least the same quality as before, for no extra cost.

219. This allowed the long overdue redesign of the magazine to take place with effect from the March 2006 issue, a project which had been delayed for more than a year.

Appendix A

Propositions carried and remitted at the 2005 Conference [103k pdf]

Appendix B1

BECTU communications policy [52k pdf]

Appendix B2

Low budget production agreement [74k pdf]

Appendix C

Statistical breakdown of membership [73k pdf]

Appendix D

Staffing [72k pdf]

Appendix E

Income and expenditure forecast 2006 [49k pdf]

Appendix F

Nominations for Trustees, Appeals Committee and Standing Orders Committee 2006-2007 [52k pdf]

Last updated 2 May 2006