NEC Report to BECTU 2007 Conference

The National Executive Committee

1 The National Executive Committee (NEC) has, since its election declared at the close on 21 May 2006 of the union's 2006 Annual Conference, met on the following dates: in 2006, on 23 July, 3 September, 15 October, 26 November: in 2007 7 January, 18 February, 1 April.

2 It was reported at the close of the union's 2006 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 21 May 2006 were: Jack Amos, Christine Bond, Suresh Chawla, Mike Corfield, Peter Cox, Tudor Gates, Pete Harding/Angie Scurr [job share], Andy Love [as this report went to press Andy Love's resignation from the NEC was received], Willis McBriar, Douglas McGill, Norma Ndebele, Jane Perry, Winston Phillips, Lawrence Van Reiss, Robert Scott, David Smith, John Wild.

4 The National Executive Committee, at its meeting on 11 June 2006, 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 The NEC was saddened to learn that Tudor Gates died on 11 January 2007 following intensive hospital treatment which it had hoped had been successful. The runner-up in the May 2006 election of London Production Divisional representatives to the NEC, Mike Dick, was invited to fill the resulting vacancy for the remainder of the 2006-2008 term of office. He accepted on 10 February 2007.

General Secretary

6 Immediately following the 2006 Annual Conference it was learned that Alan Sapper, former General Secretary of ACTT since 1969 and joint General Secretary of BECTU in 1991, had died after a long illness. It was regretted that it had not been possible to pay tribute to him at the 2006 conference.

7 At the National Executive Committee meeting held on 26 November 2006 it was formally reported that the current General Secretary, Roger Bolton, had sadly passed away following a courageous battle with cancer.

8 The National Executive Committee agreed the timetable and procedure for the election of a new General Secretary. The timescale allowed for the election process to be completed in time for the new General Secretary to be in place for conference 2007.

9 Electoral Reform Services were appointed as the independent scrutineers and the Administrative Officer was the union's liaison point with them.

10 Branches were invited to nominate on the 1 December and the closing date for receipt of nominations was 2 February 2007. 77 branches made nominations. The only candidate nominated was Gerry Morrissey. Accordingly, the independent scrutineer reported on 2 February 2007 that Gerry Morrissey had been elected unopposed as General Secretary with effect from that date. No ballot of members was therefore necessary. The result of the election, reproducing the scrutineer's report, was circulated in Branch Report 729.

11 As a result of Gerry Morrissey's election, a vacancy was created for the position of Assistant General Secretary (Arts & Entertainment, BBC and Independent Broadcasting Divisional grouping). At the time of writing branches in the relevant Divisions were being invited to nominate candidates for election as Assistant General Secretary.

Obituaries

12 The union's journal up to the March 2007 issue has recorded that the following members or employees of BECTU or its predecessor unions have passed away: Margaret Bisset, Roger Bolton, Ernie Brown, Mary Corner, Geoff Freeman, Joe Garrett, Tudor Gates, Peggy Gick, Arthur Graham, John Gray, Jim Hacquoil, Leslie Thomas Henson, Marjory Lavelly, Tony Milsom, John O'Kelly, Ken Reeves, Alan Sapper, Robert Taylor, Monica Toye, Winnie Lowes.

13 It has normally been thought invidious to single out individuals for particular tribute here, but members will appreciate that several people who made a unique contribution to this union's history and traditions are among the above.

2006 Conference

14 The minutes of the 2006 Annual Conference held in Eastbourne on 21 May were circulated in Branch Circular 712. 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 [98k pdf] or are reported on in the National Executive Committee's report.

2008 Conference

15 The 2008 Divisional, Rules Revision and Annual Conferences will take place at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool on 9 and 10 May. The National Executive Committee has agreed, after consulting with Divisions, that the Divisional conferences will take place on Friday 9 May finishing no later than 2pm in order to allow the Rules Revision Conference to begin at 3pm that day. The second day, Saturday 10 May, will be the annual policy conference. Delegates should be able to obtain time off work to attend their Divisional conferences as a trade union duty. It is hoped this timetable will help to avoid Sunday rail engineering problems with homeward journeys.

Proposition 1/07 Conference venues (AP3)

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

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

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

Bush

Format of Conference

16 At its meeting on 15 October 2006 the National Executive Committee considered a paper from AGS Gerry Morrissey regarding the format of Annual Conference. It agreed that the proposal contained in GS Letter 2279 should be put forward without a recommendation to the 2007 Annual Conference. This paper is contained in Appendix B [52k pdf].

Disciplinary Committee

17 At its meeting on 15 October 2006, the NEC agreed to refer a complaint made by a member against another member to the Disciplinary Committee, in accordance with Rule 24(b).

18 Under Rule 25(a) the Disciplinary Committee comprises one nominee from each of the six Divisions of BECTU plus a second nominee from the Division to which the member complained about belongs. After substitution to take account of members' availability, and in respect of one member a declaration of interest, the following were members of the Disciplinary Committee appointed to hear the complaint: Howard Rhodes (Arts & Entertainment Division), Dan Cooke (BBC Division), Towy Neale (Independent Broadcasting Division), Alistair Macdonald (Laboratories Division), Tim Potter (London Production Division), and Frank Saul (Regional Production Division). As the member complained about was a member of the Arts & Entertainment Division, the additional member of the Disciplinary Committee from that Division was Mary Corner. On 19 October 2006 the two members concerned were informed that a hearing was due to be held in the week commencing 20 November 2006.

19 Though Mary Corner (and subsequently Frank Saul) sent apologies for inability to attend on that date, a meeting of the Disciplinary Committee was confirmed for 23 November 2006, it being considered in the interest of natural justice for there to be no further delay, given the approach of the Christmas and New Year holiday, in holding the hearing. On 3 November 2006 the member making the complaint and the member complained about were informed of the confirmed date of the hearing, and invited to object, if they wished, to the absence of a second committee member from the Arts & Entertainment Division. Neither did so.

20 Standing order 4 for the Disciplinary Committee (Appendix A to the BECTU Rule Book) provides that written evidence may be submitted up to a week before the date of a hearing. The admissibility of such evidence is to be determined by the Disciplinary Committee itself. Two pieces of written evidence from the member complaining, detailing the complaint, and two pieces of written evidence from the member complained against, detailing the reasons for resisting the complaint, were received. Copies were sent to the committee and to the two members concerned on 17 November 2006.

21 On 20 November 2006 the member making the complaint requested by e-mail that the hearing set for 23 November be rescheduled in order that he might arrange representation for a time when he was free to attend.

22 Members of the Disciplinary Committee were immediately notified of this request, and a majority agreed to it. Sadly, Mary Corner died on 26 February 2007 leaving a vacancy on the Disciplinary Committee which was filled by Hamish Millar. At the time of writing the hearing was due to reconvene on 21 March 2007.

23 In view of this neither the member making the complaint nor the member complained against is identified in the above paragraphs.

Interpretations of Rule

24 Since Conference 2006 the National Executive Committee has not found it necessary to give any interpretation of Rule under Rule 33(l).

Income and expenditure

25 The income and expenditure forecast for 2007 is given in Appendix C [48k pdf].

Industrial overview

26 A key element of BECTU's recruitment, retention and training policy (see Appendix D1 [129k pdf]) is the training of representatives. During 2006 200 representatives received training, excluding those who attended BBC branch officers' courses. This compares favourably with 173 who were trained in 2005.

27 We expect between 200 and 250 representatives and activists to attend courses during 2007. Many of the courses are run at head office but when requested we run courses in the workplace or in the regions. All representatives are expected to attend an introductory course followed by a 'Representing your members' course. Members then have the choice of attending a number of courses, including negotiating skills, employment law, communicating with members and building an organised workplace amongst others.

28 Across all Divisions this has been an exceptionally busy year for BECTU. Our industries have faced massive challenges and we have met these challenges with varying amounts of success.

29 Following the 2005 strike in the BBC we successfully negotiated that there would be no compulsory redundancies before July 2006. Many activities during 2006 revolved around ensuring that members who were at risk of redundancy were redeployed. In the second part of the year we spent a great deal of time campaigning on the BBC licence fee, and BECTU has been very critical of the government's decision to give the BBC a below-inflation settlement. We have also been critical of the way the Director General and the BBC's management managed their campaign for a licence increase. How this evolves over the next few years will have a huge effect on BECTU's activities: if we suffer thousands of job losses in the BBC it will have a hugely detrimental effect on our ability to deliver our current services, not to mention expanding them.

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

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

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

Bush
ESPG

30 With the exception of negotiating annual pay and conditions claims on behalf of members, the single biggest issue dealt with in 2006 were changes and threats to final salary pension schemes. Officials of the union negotiated one these across all Divisions which have permanently employed members. The pressure on final salary schemes shows no sign of abating and therefore this will continue to be a key issue for the union. During the year BECTU provided training for all officials on pension matters.

31 ITV has been in a state of flux during 2006 as ownership battles continued on a regular basis: even now the future of ITV is anything but certain. Our members there are very demoralised and towards the latter half of 2006 officials and lay representatives were having extensive negotiations on a wide variety of issues, most of them detrimental to staff in the long run.

32 Theatre funding remains a major concern to the subsidised sector and BECTU led a delegation of unions and members in a meeting with the DCMS minister David Lammy over the lack of funds made available to the subsidised theatre. It became clear that a major contributory factor to this was the government's over-spend on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and that some of this was being compensated for by freezing other budgets within the Department of Culture Media and Sport.

33 In the film industry work in the studios increased in 2006 compared to 2005. However, there remained a great deal of uncertainty about the current tax regime and this stopped it from being a bumper year. However, our expectation is that work will continue to grow slowly but steadily during 2007. Unfortunately the decline of the film laboratories section continues.

34 Throughout 2006 we recruited 4,531 members. This compares with 5,991 recruited in 2005 and 4,752 in 2004. In 2006 we had cessations totalling 5,349. This compares to 4,842 in 2005 and 4,751 in 2004. This shows that our turnover is just under 20% and demonstrates why recruitment and winning new recognition agreements are key objectives for us in 2007.

35 Our income target for 2006 was £4,700,000. We actually achieved £4,761,390, which was an increase of 3.06% over the £4,619,000 achieved in 2005.

36 More detailed reports on the respective industrial sectors now follow.

Independent Broadcasting

37 The IB Division has faced yet another challenging year with heavy demands on the industrial and organisational fronts. ITV plc's continued programme of restructuring and cost-cutting, spurred on, not least, by continued pressure on advertising share and income has weighed heavily on our membership.

38 Security staff were TUPE-transferred to Reliance employment in two phases. Sites in the south were transferred on 1 December 2006, with sites in the north expected to follow in March 2007. Transmission services based in London and Leeds were also the subject of a TUPE transfer to Technicolor Network Services with effect from 2 January 2007. Whilst significant efforts were made to protect staff rights, and we had some success, ITV plc was unwilling to agree, in either exercise, to protect or to compensate staff in the final salary scheme for their anticipated losses. The task in 2007 is to establish positive working relationships with the new employers on behalf our of members.

39 On a more positive note, the long overdue review of technical operator salaries and grading concluded in December 2006 with an agreement which resulted in increased pay and a much improved career structure, for more than half of the affected group. The threat to 'red-ring' senior staff was disputed and agreement was reached to permit that small group to receive from 2008 a 50% consolidated and a 50% non-consolidated annual review. A new regional ITV news service, Thames Valley, was launched on 4 December 2006 with all of the services' staff employed on Meridian terms and conditions. The changes were secured with the minimum of compulsory redundancies amongst BECTU grades.

40 BECTU agreed to a pay award in ITV of 3.7% (for those earning above £30K) and of 3.95% (for those earning less than £30K) with effect from 1 January 2007. Major discussions are continuing on the future of the ITV pension scheme.

41 At ITN a ballot for industrial action on this same issue closed on 5 January, with a vote in favour of two strike days. As a result of this ITN returned to the negotiating table and made a significantly improved offer. A consultative ballot of members, with a recommendation from the union to accept, voted overwhelmingly in favour.

42 At Scottish Media Group, despite uncertainty about future ownership, BECTU reps have welcomed a more constructive period of industrial relations with the long overdue implementation of the pay and grading policy which has brought benefits to staff.

43 In transmission, BECTU ended the long stand-off with Arqiva about collective bargaining rights and recognition. A new recognition agreement was signed in the autumn and agreement was reached on a ballot of staff to determine attitudes to collective bargaining; staff voted 80% in favour of the right of staff to be covered by the collective bargaining arrangements.

44 Recognition was agreed in late January at the Broadcasting Advertising Clearance Centre, after ACAS validated membership levels.

45 The Divisional team continued to prioritise recruitment and retention; officials and support staff have worked well with colleagues in training on a number of projects to emphasise the benefits of BECTU membership and organisation.

London Production

BBC freelances

46 Following leaks from within the BBC indicating impending cuts in freelance rates in the Factual & Learning area, in the summer of 2006 we launched a national petition for freelance recognition across the BBC and BBC Resources. Within three months we achieved over 2,000 signatures. At the beginning of March 2007 management at BBC Resources indicated that they were willing to enter into discussions with us on a voluntary collective agreement: at the time of writing these discussions had yet to begin. Meanwhile the drive continues to collect petition forms from freelance workers and casual employees employed by the BBC.

47 In BBC Scotland, where we are already recognised for freelance collective bargaining, the new freelance agreement came into effect in September 2006 after a ballot of members. It provides negotiated rates of pay, paid holidays, and parity with staff on expenses, overnight accommodation, work schedules and rest breaks.

48 At the BBC Natural History Unit we have negotiated a new framework for freelance camera engagements that will underpin pay rates and take account of changing technology. At the time of writing members are being balloted on this proposal. We are also in discussion about a new framework for skills development, including a possible apprenticeship scheme.

PACT/independent sector

49 We are in negotiation with PACT on the scope and content of a new freelance agreement to cover Factual Productions. Our aim is not merely to agree a text, but to secure practical compliance by PACT member companies.

50 Our first year of full recognition on The Bill delivered a 3.0% pay rise.

Film Artistes

51 In January 2007 BECTU and Equity joined forces in a joint campaign to ban up-front fees being charged by agents to background artists. The unions argue that a distinction should be made between published directories such as The Spotlight and inclusion in an agent's casting book. The DTI is considering further legislation in this area, and the unions are confident that the powerful message they are sending to the government is being heard.

Proposition 3/07 Payment on time (AP14)

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

Film Artistes

Proposition 4/07 Payment on time (AP15)

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

Film Artistes

Film

52 The current three-year freelance Construction Crews Agreement expired in December 2006. Talks began in June 2006 on a follow-on agreement. The negotiations have been exceptionally difficult and at times have been close to breakdown. We can provide a verbal update at conference.

53 Throughout 2006 the Lighting Technicians Branch pressed for talks with the employers on pay. After repeated rebuffs, the branch ran a consultative ballot and achieved an overwhelming mandate to move towards an industrial action ballot in the film studios. This convinced the employers to meet us, and we are now making progress towards a new agreement on lighting technicians' pay and conditions on major feature films.

Commercials

54 In 2006 BECTU's Commercials Committee decided to revise its recommended rates for commercials. The new rate-card has a single recommended 10-hour rate for most production grades, and a single recommended 8-hour rate for construction grades. The rate-card is available on the union's website.

Recruitment in LPD

55 For the last couple of years we have targeted key Branches - e.g. by running and publicising special activities - and in most cases this strategy has worked. In 2007 our recruitment efforts will therefore concentrate on those LPD branches which showed good growth in 2006, or which are strategic priorities for some other reason. These are: Animation, Lighting Technicians, Construction Branches, The Bill, Hair & Make-Up, Costume & Wardrobe, Camera, Sound (where one of our main aims will be to have a closer link-up with the Guilds), and Writers Producers & Directors.

56 It is our intention to make more college visits throughout 2007; a list of appropriate colleges is currently being drawn up.

Regional Production

57 RPD has continued in 2006 as it has done in the past three to four years with steady growth. This has been achieved by concentrating on a number of key areas and ensuring that the Branch Committees in these areas are functioning well and supported by the officials. We therefore believe it is 'more of the same' in this Division and we will continue to concentrate our activities in: the North-West and North; Bristol/Cardiff; and Scotland.

58 The BBC freelance recognition campaign provides an opportunity for significant growth across RPD, and in some areas of LPD.

Proposition 5/07 Production bonds (composite AP13)

That this Annual Conference calls on the NEC to require a bonding system for all independent feature productions at the production company's expense. The minimum requirement should be that two weeks crew wages will be in the bond, which would be released in the event of the crew not being paid. Production should not commence unless a bond is in place. The release should be on the signature of the General Secretary or Assistant General Secretary of BECTU.

Scottish Freelance
Film Artistes

Amendment

In second sentence delete "crew wages" and insert "wages of BECTU members", and after "in the event of the" delete "crew" and insert "members"

Scottish Freelance

Laboratories

59 The Laboratories Division continues to decline due to technological change and international competition. The NEC has therefore set a 2007 income target which is lower than that achieved in 2006. For the same reason it is not thought realistic to give the Laboratories Division a target for increased membership, but we will continue to monitor any new activities in this area which we can exploit for membership growth.

60 Technicolor went through a further major redundancy in 2006, signaling a shift in its commercial focus away from bulk release prints for cinema distribution, and towards high-value 'front-end' work.

61 During the year members at Soho Images took industrial action over pay. The company's initial offer was a 2% increase with a three-month delay in implementation. Despite protracted talks they refused to move, and members balloted for industrial action. An overtime ban started on 24 November. In late December talks at ACAS led to an improved offer which was approved my members in a ballot.

Arts & Entertainment

Theatre

62 During 2006 the industry recovered from the consequences of the London bombings, with West End employers reporting record sales. However we remain concerned at the expected reduction, in real terms at least, in the level of government subsidy to the arts. This is doubly concerning as the other main providers of arts subsidy, the local authorities, tend to follow suit and reduce grants to the subsidised sector.

63 Negotiations with the Theatrical Management Association (TMA) resulted in increases of 3.3% to the minimum pay rates contained within the collective agreement. This compared favourably against the then RPI figure of 2.4%. The employers had originally proposed a settlement at the rate of inflation because increases in each of the last seven years had been in excess of the rate of inflation on the anniversary date. It was also agreed that the employers' stakeholder pension contribution would increase by a further 0.5%.

64 Most local negotiations in regional theatres and arts centres followed the nationally agreed increase to minimum rates. Within the National Houses, English National Opera were in the second year of a 3 year agreement which gave annual increases in excess of inflation; the Royal Opera House were into the second year of 3% increases amid concerns over the future of the company's final salary pension scheme; increases of 2.5% were agreed at the Royal Shakespeare Company against a background of redundancy consultations caused by the theatre redevelopment and a claim for statutory recognition for some departments; and at the National Theatre, while the union negotiated arrangements for Sunday performances, a 2.75% pay increase was being considered alongside higher increases for the lowest paid staff.

65 Industrial relations with the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), the employers' association for London's West End Theatre owners and producers, deteriorated during the course of the year. The main problem concerned the interpretation of the clause in the collective agreement for Sunday performances of current productions. SOLT believed that the rates in the agreement would be the maximum paid to staff while the union held that the rates were the minimum. Discussions with SOLT were ongoing but there remain concerns that some of the more hawkish employers would use the disagreement as an opportunity to tear up the collective agreement. The minimum rates of pay within the collective agreement increased by 3.4% in October.

Cinema

66 2006 was a turbulent year within the cinema industry with Empire Cinemas taking control of a number of cinemas previously owned by the big chains. A claim for voluntary recognition was rejected by the company and a statutory claim will be pursued. Throughout the year, Odeon SDC representatives attended joint working groups with Odeon UCI management, examining the working conditions and remuneration package for technicians. Considerable concern was felt by the Sub-Division that the company seemed to favour the former UCI ways of working and remunerating technical staff which employ less full time projection staff relying on part time workers and floor workers to staff projection rooms. In the late autumn, the working groups ended abruptly and a meeting was arranged, later to be cancelled, where the company was to have made a presentation to the union on the outcome of the working groups. The Odeon SDC submitted a claim for a 4.2% pay rise for 2007 which at the time of writing had not been acknowledged by the company. Cineworld projectionists secured a 3.5% increase in pay from October 2006, but relations with management declined after the SDC strongly rejected attempts to withdraw occupational sick pay from projectionists. Further attempts to erode the terms and conditions of employment of ex-UGC projectionists are expected in further harmonisation discussions.

Recruitment in A&E

67 During the course of 2006 A&E Divisional membership increased by 2.5%, from 5,137 to 5,264. Over the year we recruited 768 members, about 15% of the total Divisional membership, while 641 left membership. The number of members recruited was the lowest for six years, but as the number of members leaving was also down we achieved a net increase in membership for the third year in a row.

68 As in 2005, the main recruitment targets were within West End theatres and within those managed by LiveNation (formerly ClearChannel Entertainment). We also sought to improve and increase the services which we offered to freelance theatre workers (about 14% of Divisional membership). Throughout the year membership in West End and LiveNation theatres remained almost static despite significant increases in resources expended in those areas. The main area of membership increase has been within freelance membership across the UK who join mainly, although not exclusively, for cheap public liability insurance.

BBC

69 BECTU members at the BBC have successfully resisted attempts to worsen pension benefits for existing members. As part of the proposal the BBC has introduced a career average pension scheme for all new staff. BECTU has opposed this from the outset.

70 Following the government's announcement in January of a lower than inflation licence fee settlement, the joint unions warned the BBC that any attempt to reduce jobs, sell-off or outsource bits of the organisation will be resisted by the unions with whatever action is required. BECTU believes that by refusing to fund the BBC properly whilst obliging it to help with government policies such as the digital switchover and moving production facilities to Salford, the government is ensuring poorer quality programmes and more repeats.

71 As part of the agreement following the successful strike in the BBC in 2005 a sell-off of BBC Resources could not begin before July 2007. BECTU remains implacably opposed to the sell-off and believes it will fundamentally weaken the BBC. At the time of writing the union side had held meetings with BBC management at which it had become clear that a single sale of Resources is unlikely. However, a sale of Outside Broadcasts appears to be very much on the BBC's agenda. A supplementary report will be given.

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

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

ESPG

Recruitment in the BBC

72 In 2006 we recruited 719 new members across the Division however because of the large numbers of redundancies under Value for Money (VFM) we have lost more than 1,300 members. It is certain that we will be facing a net loss of more than 800, in comparison to the gain of 1,035 in 2005. We have not yet reached the end of the redundancies as Year 3 is yet to come. In order to address that loss, the BBC Division is determined to recruit and expand the membership at the BBC and its associated companies. There is a recruitment campaign in place which should stem the loss of members and see a return to the steady growth of previous years.

Value for Money

73 The discussions on Value for Money Year 3 have been continuing and as a result of the strenuous efforts by officials and full-time representatives, compulsory redundancies have, so far, been avoided. BBC Wales has been a particular pressure point along with News and BBC Scotland, but the credible threat of industrial action by the BECTU Branches in each area has meant that the BBC has been forced to find ways of avoiding compulsory redundancies.

Medas

74 Members at Medas have faced a second TUPE to Xansa as the BBC have re-tendered the contract for back-office financial services. This is one of a number of cases where members have faced further changes as a result of the BBC's attempts to drive down costs. Much of the work done by Xansa will be sent off-shore and this is the first time BBC work has been sent abroad. BECTU is opposed to this move and is fighting to preserve the terms and conditions of members.

Proposition 7/07 Offshoring public services (AP10)

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

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

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

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

MEDAS London

LST and Johnson Controls

75 In July 2006 the Land Securities Trillium contract with the BBC ended and the staff were transferred to a number of employers, the main one being Johnson Controls. This transfer has been anything but easy as the contract between the BBC and Johnsons is only for five years and therefore the company was not prepared to continue with the final salary pension scheme. However, BECTU negotiated that all ex-BBC staff now employed by Johnsons or by the security company Wilson James would receive an employer's contribution of 14% to a money purchase scheme.

76 A number of staff were transferred to a company called Jacobs Engineering; nine architectural staff were transferred back into the BBC but were due to be made redundant in April 2007. At the time of writing Johnson Controls were in the process of instructing the sub-contractors to make cutbacks in the cleaning and security arrangements. The union ran a campaign in January 2007 against the cleaning company OCS's intention to peg cleaners' salaries at a minimum wage.

Proposition 8/07 Recruitment initiative (AP2)

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

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

Bush

BECTU membership

77 The statistical breakdown of BECTU's membership as at 31 December 2006 is contained in Appendix D2 [71k pdf].

78 The Head Office Membership Department continues to send to all Branch Secretaries four times a year changes in the Branch membership, including members joining, members leaving and members transferring between branches. If a branch secretary requests it they can have a full print-out of their branch at any time.

79 In July 2006 BECTU sent to each member a benefits and services handbook which contained all of the benefits of BECTU membership. Due to the advertising raised this was cost-neutral to the union.

Subscriptions

80 Under Rule 10 the National Executive Committee has the power to reduce subscriptions under certain circumstances. During 2006 the NEC exercised this rule on the following occasions: for the freelance trade fair it agreed a one-off annual subscription of £90 for one year but members had to join on the day and pay their full subscription for the year; a similar arrangement was agreed for the hair & make-up trade fair in January 2007; and following the merger of Telewest and NTL the NEC agreed to a reduced subscription rate for a one-year period for NTL members at £5.99 per month.

81 Following the decision at the 2006 Annual Conference to require new members seeking immediate representation to pay a one-off payment of £120, this was implemented by the National Executive Committee with effect from September 2006. Between that date and the end of the year, 24 new members availed themselves of this facility.

Retired members

82 BECTU has continued to be an active supporter of the National Pensioners Convention. The union was represented at its conferences, at the 2006 Pensioners' Parliament, and at a lobby of Parliament on pension reform in October 2006. The union was also a sponsor of the Northern Pensions Conference in Newcastle in July 2006.

83 A first newsletter for the BECTU pensioners' forum established following a decision of the 2005 Rules Revision Conference was sent to retired members in August 2006, and a second issue was sent in February 2007.

Communications

84 The National Executive Committee has approved a bid to be made to the government's Union Modernisation Fund to improve our communications with the outside world and between members. Much of this will be done as a result of upgrading the BECTU membership database for web-based applications and enhancing it with a software package called 'eServices'. A supplementary report will be made to conference.

85 Rebecca Wingate-Saul, who has edited Stage Screen & Radio while Janice Turner has been engaged on the Move On Up BME diversity initiative, has accepted a six-month project management contract from July 2007 to prepare BECTU's bid to the UMF. A Communications Officer will be appointed during 2007 whose responsibilities will include website content management.

Proposition 9/07 BECTU membership cards (AP5)

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

Film Artistes

Property

86 When Conference met in 2006 the union had reduced its indebtedness to Unity Trust Bank to £300,000 following the sale of part of the land to the rear of 373-377 Clapham Road, for which we received £612,139. The remaining tranche from this sale was £260,000 which allowed BECTU to clear its indebtedness with the bank.

87 The housing development at the rear of 373-377 Clapham Road is ongoing and is due to be completed by the end of 2007. There has inevitably been some consequential disruption at head office, mainly arising from the creation of an access route through our property to the housing development. A new conservatory is to be built by the developer to compensate us for the loss of office space to create the access route. This will provide accessible meeting facilities. Construction was originally scheduled to be completed by March 2007, but at the time of writing progress appeared to be seriously delayed.

88 As reported to the 2006 Conference the union has appointed disability access consultants Babel to plan a permanent access ramp at the main entrance to the Clapham Road building. Progressing this with Lambeth Planning and Conservation officers, however, has been painfully slow, because of the property's listed building status.

89 In November 2006 the union relocated its Manchester office from the Unison building on St John Street to improved facilities at Holyoake House (owned by the Co-operative movement) on Hanover Street.

Proposition 10/07 Head Office location (AP4)

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

Writers Producers Directors

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

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

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

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

Bush
South Wales Freelance

The BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme

90 The employer's contribution to the BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme remains at 32%. However, a number of other changes were made to the scheme, including moving the retirement age for new staff to 65.

91 As reported to the 2006 conference, BECTU took formal legal proceedings against the previous professionals who had advised the trustees of the BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme. It was suggested by the court that all parties should go to mediation. Mediation took place on 23 November 2006 following which BECTU was reimbursed its legal fees and a net amount of £50,000 was paid as compensation by the professional advisers to the BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme.

Proposition 12/07 BECTU pension scheme (AP6)

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

Film Artistes

Staffing

92 The pay of BECTU's staff was increased by 4% with effect from 1 January 2007. An agreement was reached between the National Executive Committee and the shops representing the staff which allowed for the incorporation of the age discrimination regulations which took effect from 1 October 2006.

93 Lou George has continued to act as a National Official on secondment from his employer the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal.

94 During 2006 the National Executive Committee was able to give part-time secretarial support to the Birmingham office. Eve Kenny, who had previously worked in the membership department at Head Office, volunteered to move and provide secretarial support on three days a week to the Birmingham office with effect from August 2006. Linda Pimblett, who worked as a secretary in the Manchester office, left BECTU's employment in March 2006 and was replaced in May by Christine Yates.

95 In September evening receptionist Kyra Williams returned to work from a career break to appear in The Mousetrap, and Leigh Outram's covering fixed-term contract ended. Leigh continues to provide occasional temporary and project support. We are grateful to Lesley Miles and Trevor Nicholas who have periodically come out of retirement to cover sick leave and other emergencies. Margaret Bisset had also frequently come out of retirement to help us during 2006, and we were greatly saddened by her death from cancer on 20 January 2007.

96 Equality monitoring of BECTU's employees takes place annually. The gender balance of BECTU's employees is given in the following table [45k pdf].

Life and honorary members

97 The National Executive Committee has awarded life membership of BECTU to the following members during 2006-2007: Jeff Buckeridge, Clive Coston, Nigel Edwards, Brian Lofthouse, Ron Lowe, Linda Mitchell, Ann Pointon, Nigel Wolland, and Roy Perkins.

98 At its meeting on 15 October 2006 the National Executive Committee agreed to recommend to Conference that honorary membership be awarded to Roger Bolton; endorsement by conference will sadly be posthumous. At its meeting on 7 January 2007 the NEC agreed to recommend that posthumous honorary membership be awarded to Arthur Earle Graham, who joined the Association of Cine Technicians in 1933 with the membership number 1 and which he retained until his death on 15 December 2006 at the age of 92. At its meeting on 18 February 2007 the NEC agreed to recommend to conference that honorary membership be awarded to Nigel Wolland and John Handley, and posthumously to Tudor Gates and Winnie Lowes. At the time of writing a recommendation to Conference that honorary membership be awarded to Ken Loach was due for endorsement.

Labour Party

99 BECTU was represented at the 2006 Labour Party conference held in Manchester by AGS Gerry Morrissey and Vice President Lawrence Van Reiss. Tony Lennon and John Wild attended as observers. BECTU was represented at the 2006 Scottish Labour Party conference by Turlough MacDaid.

Labour Party leader

100 The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 7 January 2007 agreed to follow past practice for the election of the leader/deputy leader of the Labour Party. Therefore when the election is called BECTU will ballot all members who contribute to the political fund with our election votes being distributed proportionately.

Parliamentary panel

101 Following the decision taken at the 2006 Annual Conference the National Executive Committee has set up a parliamentary panel. A cross-party number of MPs, MSPs and Welsh Assembly Members were invited to join the panel.

102 Members of BECTU's parliamentary committee are currently Frank Doran MP (Labour), John Grogan MP (Labour), Kelvin Hopkins MP (Labour), John McDonnell MP (Labour), Roger Gale MP (Conservative), Natascha Engel MP (Labour), Frank McAveety MSP (Scottish Labour), and Leighton Andrews AM (Welsh Labour).

Proposition 13/07 Political affiliation (AP17)

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

Film Artistes

Proposition 14/07 Labour Party conference (AP18)

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

Film Artistes

Proposition 15/07 Labour leadership (AP19)

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

Bush

Trades Union Congress (including Scotland and Wales)

103 BECTU's delegation to the 2006 Trades Union Congress comprised Tony Lennon, AGS Martin Spence, Suresh Chawla, Jack Amos, and Turlough MacDaid (originally a visitor but substituting for Christine Bond who was indisposed). Norma Ndebele was selected as a delegate but was unable to attend.

104 BECTU submitted the following two motions:

TUPE and Pensions

Congress notes that the TUPE Regulations in the UK still do not make any requirement for the provision of comparable rather than minimum pensions for transferred employees.

Congress reaffirms its view that the protection of workers' pensions is essential in the UK's excessively flexible labour market. In the light of this, Congress condemns the view expressed by the Chief Executive of the National Association of Pension Funds that employers should be able retrospectively to reduce benefits in final salary schemes and notes that this is a completely inappropriate and unacceptable policy position for an organisation with a pro-pension mandate.

Congress calls on the General Council to continue campaigning to protect workers pensions and specifically to seek an amendment to the TUPE Regulations to require the provision of comparable pensions for transferred employees.

Employment Status

Congress expresses its strong disappointment that at the end of the extremely protracted Employment Status Review, the government has adopted a strategy of no change to the legal framework in this area. Congress reaffirms its view in favour of a new and inclusive definition of "worker" which would give full employment rights, including paid time off for trade union duties, to all freelance casual and other atypical workers not in business on their own account and regardless of individual tax status.

Congress therefore calls on the General Council to campaign for government to reconsider its approach to employment status for atypical workers and to campaign for a new and wider definition of "worker" in the European Commission's forthcoming Green Paper on labour law.

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

105 BECTU's delegation to the 2006 Scottish TUC, which was held on 10-12 April, comprised Paul McManus, Turlough MacDaid, Douglas McGill and Fiona Clark.

106 BECTU submitted the following motions to the 2006 STUC:

National Identity Cards

Congress declares itself wholly opposed to the further development of, and legislation for, national identity cards and the National Identity Register. Congress believes that the proposals are contrary to the European Convention on Human rights that guarantees the fundamental right of citizens to privacy. Congress deplores the increasing tendency of the UK government towards control freakery and a distrust of the electorate betraying the electorate's trust in the government.

Investment in film and drama production in Scotland

Congress notes with concern the significant downturn in independent film and drama production in the past two years within Scotland. It recognises that there has been a knock-on effect from a UK-wide downturn in inward investment following the events of 9/11, 2001. Congress is concerned that insufficient efforts are being made by Scottish agencies, and the Executive, to encourage and develop greater inward investment, resulting in a steady but significant skills-drain away from Scotland. Congress therefore instructs the STUC to enter into urgent discussions with the Executive, to develop strategic and positive initiatives to encourage and develop investment in film and drama production in Scotland.

Both motions were carried.

107 BECTU was represented at the 2006 conference of the Wales TUC, held on 24-26 May 2006 in Llandudno, by David Bumford and Si�n Gale.

SERTUC

108 BECTU's delegation to the Southern & Eastern Region TUC consists of Jenni Boswell-Jones, Phil Hooley and Jack Amos. The Region has over two million trades unionists and geographically it extends from Anglia to the Isle of Wight. Jack Amos is on SERTUC's Executive and is also the Chair of the Creative & Leisure Industries Committee which is one of the sub-groups of SERTUC. These meetings comprise Amicus, BECTU, Equity, TGWU, GMB, Unison and the Musicians' Union, and are beginning to become important within the Labour Movement.

109 SERTUC has quarterly meetings with the Mayor of London. SERTUC also has representation on the London Cultural Consortium which has a statutory duty to advise the London Mayor on Arts & Leisure in the capital.

2012 Olympics

110 The National Executive Committee became involved in a number of TUC and SERTUC committees relating to the 2012 Olympics. These committees were dealing with the infrastructure and preparatory work leading up to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and separately with the employment issues around the time of the Games. This matter will continue to be monitored by the National Executive Committee during the year.

Federation of Entertainment Unions

111 BECTU continues to play an active part in the affairs of the FEU, which also includes the NUJ, Equity, Musicians Union, Writers Guild of Great Britain, Amicus and the Professional Footballers Association. The FEU has had regular liaison meetings with the Director General of the BBC, the Chief Executives of Ofcom and the UK Film Council, and Mike Smith from the TUC attends most of the FEU meetings as an observer.

112 The FEU has been actively campaigning on the BBC Charter Renewal and also plays an active role through the individual unions in Skillset and the Creative Industries Sector Skills Council.

113 During 2006 the FEU set up a sub-committee on equality and the first meeting of this body took place in November 2006.

Directors Guild of Great Britain/IAESDO

114 For a number of years BECTU has been trying to achieve unity with the Directors Guild of Great Britain (DGGB), to establish a single industrial voice for UK film and TV Directors. In recent years Equity has also become involved in respect of Theatre Directors. However in July 2006 the DGGB definitively rejected a joint BECTU/Equity proposal and terminated these discussions.

115 The DGGB is a small failing organisation, in severe financial difficulty, with no collective bargaining rights with any employer. BECTU is a secure and broadly-based union, financially solvent, and is recognised by PACT, BBC Scotland, and on The Bill, to carry out collective bargaining on behalf of freelance Directors. Since the DGGB decision in July, we have therefore been arguing our case as the only organisation capable of delivering real results for UK film and TV Directors.

116 As part of this effort we are working ever more closely with the Directors and Producers Rights Society which administers Directors' rights. We have also received international support for our stance from colleagues in the International Association of English Speaking Directors Organisations (IAESDO) at its meeting in New York in November 2006. IAESDO includes such powerful affiliates as the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and Directors Guild of Canada (DGC).

117 We face a considerable challenge. There are about 3,500 working film and TV Directors in the UK, the majority of whom belong to neither BECTU nor the DGGB. This is the constituency on which we will focus our efforts in the period ahead.

UNI-MEI and Euro-MEI

118 BECTU remains affiliated to UNI-MEI and President Tony Lennon and up to his death General Secretary Roger Bolton continued to represent BECTU on its executive committee. AGS Gerry Morrissey represented BECTU on the EURO-MEI executive committee. UNI-MEI is the Media and Entertainment International sector of the global Union Network International; EURO-MEI is its European sub-section.

119 BECTU was represented by Suresh Chawla at the UNI-MEI World Executive meeting which took place in Mumbai on 22-23 November.

120 EURO-MEI have done a lot of campaigning this year, most notably on Television Without Frontiers, and are currently working on the EU Green Paper on Employment Law.

121 Social dialogues have been taking place with the European Broadcasting Union (employers representing public service broadcasters across Europe) and separately with Pearle (the European League of Employers' Associations in the Performing Arts).

IATSE

122 Since last year's conference BECTU and IATSE (the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada) have kept in touch on key issues involving both organisations across film and theatres. A number of other initiatives are still being discussed.

123 The International President of IATSE, Tom Short, has again been invited to BECTU's Conference.

Latin American Committee

124 The Latin American Committee has met three times in 2006. The main function of the Committee has been providing material aid and this year we are proud to say that BECTU contributed £2,000 toward the cost of buying and installing a new solid state transmitter for Radio Zinica in Bluefields on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. Radio Zinica is a community station which broadcasts news, music, sport and public service information across the Bluefields region. It supports the Sandinista party whose leader, Daniel Ortega, won the presidential election in November. The funds for this were raised through the social events held at conference each year.

125 The Committee has also been trying to establish contact with the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisi�n, which is based just outside Havana in Cuba. This is a film and television school which trains Cubans and others from Latin America in the skills necessary for TV and we would like to try and offer material aid as we do at Radio Zinica. So far we have been unsuccessful in making contact but we remain optimistic.

Proposition 16/07 Workers' rights (AP1)

That this Annual Conference

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

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

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

National Executive Committee

BECTU's affiliations

126 The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 3 September 2006 agreed to affiliate to the Venezuela Information Centre at a cost of £100 per annum.

127 BECTU has remained affiliated to the following organisations since Annual Conference in May 2006 [all figures in £ sterling]:

General Fund

Political Fund

Research

128 The main policy issues dealt with in the past year are set out below under broad subject headings.

Broadcasting

129 On BBC Charter Review, the union submitted a response to the White Paper covering a range of issues including the BBC's purposes, its digital role, service licences, BBC commercial services, the WOCC (Window of Creative Competition), the BBC Trust and the future of the licence fee.

130 In terms of Ofcom, the union contributed a response to the Review of the Television Production Sector, which focused on the independent production sector. Issues covered included: freelance pay and conditions, the balance of in-house and independent production, individual creators' rights, the WOCC, the independent quota and out-of-London production.

131 Newer issues emerging during the year included the proposal for a 'public-service publisher'.

Proposition 17/07 Broadcasting policy (AP12)

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

Writers Producers Directors

Proposition 18/07 Radio frequency auction (AP11)

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

Scottish Freelance

Film

132 The major policy focus has continued to be on the new system of tax incentives for production. The union has identified a number of concerns about incentives to use non-EU labour on UK production and has pursued these concerns in discussions with the Film Council and the Treasury.

Europe

133 BECTU's concerns on the draft directive on Services in the Internal Market were largely addressed during the passage of the legislation. Remaining underlying concerns about employment status will have to be addressed through other means. The review of the Working Time Directive has so far failed to scrap the 48 hour opt-out.

134 The major recent focus has been on the review of Television Without Frontiers. BECTU responded to the DCMS consultation on this issue, covering matters such as the scope of the legislation, the European production quota, the independent quota, creators' rights and media ownership.

135 BECTU has continued to convene meetings of the European Working Group, with the participation of Mary Honeyball MEP.

Employment Law

136 Following the predictable 'no change' outcome to the government's long drawn out review of employment status, the union has continued to pursue its concerns in this area, including participation via a TUC delegation to the relevant DTI Minister.

137 A new focus for this debate is the European Commission's Green Paper on Labour Law, on which BECTU has also contributed to a campaign through UNI-Europa.

Legal service

138 The union conducted a tendering exercise for our legal service, with competitive bids from legal firms seeking to operate the service. Following tender submissions, short listing and panel interviews, the outcome was in respect of England/Wales/Northern Ireland, to award the contract to existing service providers Thompsons, subject to continued monitoring of performance. In respect of Scotland, there was no final decision, with Thompsons (Scotland) continuing to provide the service while the matter is kept under review.

139 The legal service has won significant financial compensation for members in employment and personal injury cases, as well as operating a 24-hour helpline and ancillary legal services.

Copyright

140 BECTU's copyright work continues to encompass the union's Copyright Committee; our diligent and experienced copyright consultant Janet Ibbotson; affiliation to the collecting society DACS, the Alliance for the Protection of Copyright and the British Copyright Council; and the Script Registration Service.

141 Issues covered in the past year have included the Gower Review of Intellectual Property, copyright theft and copyright parity with Europe (on which a summary rather than full report is being produced by decision of the NEC).

142 A successful copyright seminar was held as part of the BECTU Freelance Fair.

Health and safety

143 First-line health and safety issues at the workplace are dealt with, whenever possible, by our network of safety representatives, with support where appropriate from full-time officials.

144 BECTU Head Office activity on health and safety incorporates:

  • The BECTU National Health & Safety Committee, expanded through additional co-opted members.
  • The four-monthly Health & Safety Bulletin, distributed to all safety reps.
  • Representation on relevant HSE committees; FBJAC (the HSE joint advisory committee for our sector), its Training Working Group and the Film Industry Safety Group (which has produced a revised and updated publication 'H&S in Film Production').
  • A submission to the HSE Consultation on Worker Involvement calling for the amendment of the Safety Reps Regulations to allow for BECTU roving safety reps in the film/independent production sector.

145 A new initiative has been the appointment of three of our existing National Officials to take on broader advisory health and safety roles in their respective areas. They have undertaken refresher training in health and safety and this will be extended to all officials. They are:

  • Paul Atkinson (London Production, Regional Production, Labs)
  • Willie Lesslie (Arts & Entertainment)
  • Anna Murray (BBC, Independent Broadcasting)

146 Another initiative has been the establishment of a BECTU Asbestos Exposure Database. This database, which is operated by our lawyers Thompsons but fully accessible to BECTU, allows individuals to log details of any exposure while the information is fresh - to be referred to later in the event of any possible personal injury claim.

147 Additional health and safety issues and activities include: BECTU health and safety training courses, the website bulletin board, camera cranes, BBC asbestos, occupational standards, noise at work and the legislation on corporate manslaughter.

Proposition 19/07 Health and safety hotline (AP16)

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

The health and safety office provide a limited advice service, being only available Monday to Friday, nine to five, which does not take into account the unsociable hours worked in this industry and many other industries. Also the advice given by the H&S outside these hours is to contact the local police, who may not be competent or willing to give advice on a health and safety matter.

Scottish Freelance

Amendment

In second sentence delete "health and safety office" and insert "Health and Safety Executive", and delete "nine to five" and insert "0800-1800";

in third sentence delete "H&S" and insert "HSE"

Scottish Freelance

Skillset Research Committee

148 BECTU continues to be represented on the committee covering Skillset's work in gathering, analysing and publicising labour market data in our sector. Ongoing work includes the employment census, the workforce survey and a study on the retention of women in the audiovisual industry.

BECTU History Project

149 The History Project remains actively engaged in recording audio visually the working lives of the men and women who have engaged in the media and creative industries. With our internationally and nationally recognised archive now approaching 600 recordings, we continue to work closely with our partners in the BFI in making our archive accessible to scholars, writers, researchers and others who are exploring the history and development of our industries and find our archive of indispensable assistance.

150 Project members meet six times a year at the BFI to discuss and plan recording activity and to oversee the strategic growth of the project. Outside speakers and well attended social events are an important part of our calendar and next year we plan to celebrate our twentieth anniversary with a major event.

151 The relationship with the union remains fraternal and supportive, providing us with accommodation and key administrative back-up facilities which underpin our activity. We know that the Project raises and enhances the profile of the union in our industries and outside in it and we take pride in that as a key part of our heritage. The project welcomes new participants as both recorders and interviewers and any members who are interested should write to the Project c/o Head Office.

Equality and Diversity Committee

152 The General Equality Committee met five times during 2006. The committee comprised Christine Bond, chair (NEC, RPD), Moira Elliott replacing Rebecca Whitehead from A&E in September 2006, Ann Pointon (DMN, RPD), Moira Thomson (LPD), Ysanne Cole (IB), Joia Shillingford and Michelle Farquharson, job sharing the role representing the BMSC, Al Garthwaite (RPD), Angie Scurr (NEC, BBC), Norma Ndebele (NEC, LPD) and Jane Perry (BBC, DMN, NEC rapporteur). The committee is serviced by National Official Kate Elliott.

153 Following the Women's Event in November 2005, which centred around the need for a workplace policy on domestic violence, this was drawn up and passed by the Divisions and the NEC. It will now be officially rolled out in April 2007 at the Annual Conference. The aim is also to print cards with advice and information on where to go to get help if you are suffering from domestic violence.

154 In March 2006 the GEC sent two delegates to the TUC Women's Conference in Eastbourne, NO Kate Elliott and LPD member Norma Ndebele.

155 At the 2006 Annual Conference in Eastbourne the General Equality Committee held a 'Welcome to Conference for New Delegates' on the Saturday evening in the T&G Centre hotel. This was attended by many conference delegates and was addressed by BECTU President, Tony Lennon. It is now seen as something integral to conference, and as such will be part of the conference every year.

156 In September Al Garthwaite attended a conference on behalf of the GEC organised by the UK Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence. This alliance has a very good website with many template policies that can be downloaded and used. There are no membership fees but someone is required to attend their conference once a year. Afterwards Al went to an event at Downing Street and spoke to Cherie Blair. The Body Shop Director of Global Campaigns talked about what they do. This is a very important alliance and something the GEC will continue to be involved in.

157 At the final meeting in November the GEC debated the need to change the name of the committee, and agreed that the new name should be the 'Equality and Diversity Committee' to better reflect the work of the committee. This was agreed by the NEC, subject to the necessary by-laws being in place, and the General Equality Committee (GEC) is now known as the Equality and Diversity Committee (EDC).

158 A BECTU women's delegation joined more than a thousand women and carried the BECTU banner on the 'Reclaim the Night' march on Saturday 25 November, when women reclaim the right to walk the streets at night in safety and without fear. The march ended in a rally at the University of London Union where BECTU women met with women from other unions and organisations.

159 The third women's conference in recent years, this year entitled 'BECTU Women - Challenging Discrimination in the Workplace', took place on Saturday 9 December 2006. This very well attended conference discussed the need for more women to be involved in BECTU activity and also the need for a workplace policy on sexual harassment. Rebecca Gill, the TUC Women's Equality Policy Officer, addressed the conference and spoke about how BECTU is trailblazing the way for women with its work around domestic violence and sexual harassment. Victoria Phillips, a solicitor from Thompsons law firm, spoke on the law around sexual harassment and a female BECTU member shocked the delegation when speaking from personal experience of sexual harassment on the set of a big film. Women from a cross section of Divisions debated how women can get more involved and why they need to be active in the union. The success of this conference has meant the NEC have agreed that this should now be a yearly event for women in BECTU.

160 The final role of the EDC in 2006 was to carry out the TUC Equality Audit on behalf of BECTU. This audit gives unions a chance to report on progress and showcase best practice. A report based on the audit will be presented to the 2007 Congress.

Black Members' Committee

161 The Black Members' Committee was thrilled that its diversity activities were recognised for the second time running by the TUC, which awarded BECTU the TUC Equality Award in September. BECTU is the only trade union to have won the award twice.

162 The committee ran two open evenings during the year, both of which attracted members and non-members.

163 The committee continued to pursue the Black Leadership Initiative which aims to increase representation of BME members at all levels of the union. The committee was delighted at conference when the NEC election results revealed that three BME members had been elected to the NEC from three Divisions of the union.

164 The committee also celebrated the election of committee chair Suresh Chawla to the TUC Race Relations Committee - another first for BECTU. The delegation played an active role during the TUC Black Workers' Conference and inspired real debate with its resolution to advocating an increase in the number of bank holidays in the UK and that the additional holidays should be at Eid and Diwali. The committee regretted that the motion was amended to remove the main Hindu and Islamic celebrations from it; nevertheless the debate was welcome at an otherwise uncontroversial conference.

165 During the year the committee addressed several meetings organised by other organisations. The committee has been working on a research proposal for the theatre industry and a project to address under-representation of BME technicians in the camera grades, but both of these have been delayed partly due to the intensive activity in the Move On Up programme and partly because - in the case of Arts Council of England - of additional bureaucratic hurdles BECTU has found itself needing to jump before the project can begin.

Move On Up

166 2006 was the year that BECTU's Move On Up programme really took off. Following the successful event in 2003, after which about 10% of participants went on to get jobs on the back of the contacts made there, the black members' committee resolved to obtain the funding to run Move On Up again. After 18 months they were successful and this year the first two out of a programme of three more events took place.

167 The motive behind Move On Up is to address a key issue faced by black and minority ethnic professionals and that is lack of contacts and access to networks, in a contacts-driven industry. This is achieved by scheduling one to one meetings between Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) professionals and industry executives in the hope that in the long run the new contacts will lead to opportunities that they otherwise might have missed.

168 Move On Up North in February was run in partnership primarily with BBC Manchester and ITV Granada, drawing in screen agencies, training organisations and independent production companies and post-production and crewhire companies. On the day 100 BME professionals had 430 meetings with 65 executives, and we know that many participants got jobs, for example an unemployed TV producer and BECTU member who landed the job of producing a two-part programme for ITV Granada and went on to become series producer of a BBC network television series.

169 Move On Up in Radio took place at the end of October, in partnership primarily with the BBC but also with the NUJ as the employers were keen to involve BME journalists in the event. BECTU scheduled more than 600 one to one meetings between 200 BME professionals and 80 radio executives. To our knowledge at least seven people have so far got jobs. Such was the enthusiasm from radio companies to being invited to take part that BECTU then asked whether they would join with the union in setting up the Radio Industry Diversity Group. This was met by an overwhelmingly positive response, and the group's first meeting was held at BECTU on 13 December.

170 The black members' committee was delighted that the radio event in particular inspired executives to take forward their own initiatives. For example, executives have invited BME professionals to visit their radio station; to sit in on a drama being made; to rewrite programme ideas and resubmit them; to have a voice test and so on. One top executive has requested the CVs of all qualified broadcast journalists on the Move On Up mailing list in connection with setting up pools of freelances in three cities. A classical music station wants to take further action regarding under-representation in that sector, and we are bringing the Musicians' Union into the discussions. 75% of non-members taking part in the radio event expressed a desire to join BECTU and we have been working since then to translate these into new members.

171 The third in our series of Move On Up events - this one for film and television - is due to take place in June 2007 at the TUC. However, also arising from the radio event BECTU has been approached by BBC News and ITN with a request to work with them on a Move On Up for television and radio news. The RNIB were guests at Move On Up in Radio and since then have begun preparations for a similar event for people with disabilities.

Proposition 20/07 British National Party (AP20)

That this Annual Conference was appalled to hear of the case of Simone Clarke, the BNP advocate and Equity representative employed by English National Ballet. Conference states that any known member of the BNP or any other racist or fascist organisation is expelled from the union by the NEC as under rule 13, for negation of the union's objectives as under rule 5(l).

Salisbury Playhouse

Amendment

Delete "the union by the NEC as under rule 13, for negation of the union's objectives as under rule 5(l)" and insert "BECTU by the NEC under rules 13 and 24(a) (iii), as their policies and activities are incompatible with rule 5(l)."

Salisbury Playhouse

Disabled Members Network

172 The BECTU Disabled Members Network comprises just under fifty members most of whom are disabled themselves, though some have experience or interest in disability issues. The Network provides a conduit for feedback from, and communication with, disabled members in the union. 161 members have identified as disabled through the union's equality monitoring process introduced in 2002, and there are thought to be approximately 350 disabled members across the union. This is a rate of 1.3%, rather lower than the 2% found by Skillset's Workforce Survey 2005. Both figures, however, are much lower than the 13% disabled people in the UK working population as a whole.

173 The Network is overseen by a committee of disabled members from each of BECTU's six Divisions. It is chaired by Ann Pointon (RPD). Regrettably, Ann has signalled her intention to retire from union activities in May after the 2007 TUC Disability Conference. The vice chair is Turlough MacDaid (A&E), who is also an elected member of the STUC Disabled Workers Committee. The rapporteur from the NEC is Angie Scurr (BBC).

174 The committee is presently watching with interest how public sector bodies implement the new statutory duty on them to promote disability equality, which took effect in December last year. Bodies affected include the BBC, Channel 4, S4C, Ofcom, the UK Film Council and the Arts Councils of England and Wales. However, the BBC and Channel 4 are affected 'in respect of [their] public function', which the BBC at least interprets as excluding its function as an employer. How this squares with commitments given by the Director-General on the employment of disabled people, as well as on representation of disabled people, remains to be seen.

175 The committee has welcomed the fact that the union, PACT and the Disability Rights Commission are jointly exploring the scope for reasonable adjustments for disabled workers on shoots and location, including, for example, the provision of hygienic and private facilities for self-administration of insulin by diabetics and for other health-related needs.

176 Areas of concern for the committee include

  • the equal opportunities policy adopted at the union's 2005 conference, which it believes is based disproportionately on a Commission for Racial Equality model, and weighted too heavily towards targets for the industry rather than the union itself;
  • the lack of wheelchair access at head office, given that the existing wheelchair lift is now unserviceable and negotiations with Lambeth Planning on the construction of a permanent ramp look like being drawn out;
  • the planned redesign of the union's website, although the committee is pleased to have been offered input on its accessibility.

177 The Committee is pleased to be working in partnership with the RNIB in planning an event for disabled people experiencing barriers on entry to, and glass ceilings within, the media industry. Inspired by what BECTU's 'Move On Up' events have been able to achieve for BME people, the Disability in the Media project is scheduled to take place on 2 October 2007.

178 Also in October 2007 the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights will become effective. Chaired by Trevor Phillips, it will absorb the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission, with the Commission for Racial Equality joining by April 2009. The new Commission will also have powers in relation to the newer strands of equality legislation on sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion and belief, and age, and a role in the promotion of human rights. For an interim period, there will be a specialist working group on disability. BECTU's equality committees may need to re-orientate themselves to reflect the new commission's role.

179 Active feedback by Divisional representatives to the Disabled Members Network committee on industrial matters affecting disabled members is important, and Divisions are urged to make full use of their nominated reps.

180 The committee provides BECTU's delegates annually to the TUC Disability Conference and the STUC Disabled Workers Conference. Members of the committee represent BECTU on TUDA, the Trade Union Disability Alliance. The committee is proud that one of Roger Bolton's last actions in office was to negotiate with TUDA on its Charter for Disability Equality so that BECTU could become the first national trade union to sign up to it when it was launched at the 2006 TUC Disability Conference.

181 The Network has provided useful links to industry and other disability sites in the Short Index on the home page of the BECTU website.

Alfie Squires Educational Bursary

182 Following the practice established in 2005 the National Executive Committee invited applications from members for support from the Alfie Squires Educational Bursary. One award was made.

183 The annual bursary is in memory of Alfie Squires, an NFT projectionist who died at a tragically early age in 1990. Alfie was a union activist all his life, was Vice President of BETA, worked tirelessly for the amalgamation of ACTT and BETA, but died just before that event. He was posthumously made the first honorary member of BECTU.

Journal: Stage Screen & Radio

184 The journal continues to be a key vehicle to facilitate the flow of information between the union and its members. The highlight for Stage Screen & Radio over the last year has been its redesign, both in terms of its look and editorial content. This included changing the journal's title design and introducing several new features such as member profile, the community page with reports from union reps, a regular slot for training with notifications of up-coming courses and a legal question and answer page for members to write in with their legal queries. The emphasis has been on making the journal more interactive and on getting more feedback from members - after all it is their journal.

185 Over the last year, one major topic that reared its head again and again was pensions, with many employers, including the BBC and ITV, threatening to close their final salary pension schemes in favour of career average schemes. The May issue showed BECTU members using the May Day rally to protest and highlight the union's anger over proposed changes to the BBC scheme. Further articles highlighted the fact that members can and should be prepared to take strike action over changes to pensions. Strike action coverage was also given to members at Capita protesting at being outsourced and at Soho Images over pay at the end of 2006.

186 The journal helped draw members' attention to the new asbestos register set up by the union to gather information on members who may have been exposed to the deadly material. Tragically, several members' cases have brought to light how crucial it is the union keeps this information and how the journal can be used to remind members to register.

187 The new member profile articles have helped highlight members' dedication to the union and their work in the industry. Profiles have included honorary members Rob Willsher (RPD) and Dennis Claridge (Laboratories), plus wildlife cameraman Doug Allan, director and producer Roberta Thompson, and special effects model maker Mike Tucker.

188 Other major industrial topics covered in the past year includes the new age discrimination laws, the funding crisis in the arts and Sunday opening in theatres debate, Charles Allen's departure from ITV and Michael Grade's subsequent appointment to the company, the BBC's licence fee settlement, the union's bid for recognition for freelances at the BBC and BBC Resources and BECTU's continuing success with its Move On Up initiatives for black and ethnic minority professionals.

189 At the end of last year, Stage Screen & Radio carried many heartfelt tributes to General Secretary Roger Bolton following his sad death after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Tributes were published from friends and colleagues across the industry and from around the world, demonstrating the high regard in which he was held.

Scottish Committee

190 The Scottish Committee met on three occasions in 2006. The committee nominated delegates to the STUC Congress and Women's Congress and the Scottish Labour Party.

Wales Committee

191 The Wales Committee met three times during 2006. 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.

Appendix A

Propositions carried and remitted at the 2006 Conference [98 pdf]

Appendix B

Format of conference [52k pdf]

Appendix C

Income and expenditure forecast 2006 [48 pdf]

Appendix D1

Retention and training policy [129k pdf]

Appendix D2

Statistical breakdown of membership [71k pdf]

Appendix E

Copyright parity with Europe [73k pdf]

Appendix F

Freelances and union duties [71k pdf]

Appendix G

Nominations for Trustees, Appeals Committee and Standing Orders Committee 2007-2008 [51k pdf]

Last updated 2 May 2007