Employment and membership
106 3,088 applications for membership were processed in 1998 and 153 students joined the Student Link Up scheme.
107 A quarter of the membership now choose to pay their subscriptions by direct debit and another 14% pay by standing order. The proportion of members paying by deduction from salary has not changed from last year (46%). The rest pay their subscriptions direct.
108 In preparation for the new membership system new computer terminals have been installed throughout the department.
109 The vacancy list was circulated to between 650 and 750 members each week.
Journal
110 Since the last BECTU conference, virtually every aspect of the union's journal has changed. This is the end result of a proposal prepared by the Journal Editor which envisaged a new way of producing the magazine. The plans were that the latest professional magazine publishing technology be installed, that the Editor receive intensive training on the hardware and software, and that savings made through in-house production of the magazine be reinvested in the journal by hiring freelance designers to work on every issue.
111 Following decisions of the F&GP and the NEC early last year, in April 1998 the journal office took delivery of the hardware. The Editor undertook the necessary training and successfully produced the July/August and September issues of Stage Screen & Radio in-house. This was a mammoth task as much of the detailed work had until then been carried out by an external company. During this time the Editor also worked with the new designers in planning a complete redesign of the magazine.
112 The October issue of Stage Screen & Radio was completely different in paper (heavier weight and better quality), the extent of colour (it is now full colour throughout), and in production procedures. Articles and pictures are now sent down the (ISDN) telephone line to the designers, pages are transmitted to and fro and, such is the speed of this, the same page can be worked on in three different locations in London and the south-east in the same afternoon.
113 Content was also looked at and while many sections have remained the same - technology, letters, obituary for example - contributors such as Lord Puttnam, the new Royal Opera House chief executive Michael Kaiser, the film critic Derek Malcolm and the technical journalist Barry Fox have enlivened the pages and broadened the coverage.
114 Main stories over the year - many of which were taken up by the national and industry press - have included the Working Time Regulations and BECTU's legal action on behalf of freelance members; BECTU's view of the Government's proposals on film policy; strikes in the BBC and ITV; disputes in the national theatre houses; the ITC; and the under-representation of ethnic minority workers in broadcasting.
115 The magazine's advertising agents were also changed last year and the new agency began work in April. Boosted by the new look of the magazine, the first two issues of 1999 achieved income more than double that of the same issues the previous year. It is hoped that this success rate continues.
116 As always, readers continue to make valuable contributions to the journal and a large part of its success is due to them. Any branches wanting to pass on news of their activities or suggestions about journal coverage are more than welcome.
Proposition 12/99 Freedom of Information Act (AP12)
That this annual conference instructs the NEC to canvass the Labour Party by whatever means it feels appropriate to ensure Labour honours its commitment to establishing a Freedom of Information Act.
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Equality
117 Following the reallocation of Equality duties within the union, Freda Chapman (Manchester Office) has taken responsibility for the General Equality Committee and the Women's Committee, and Irene Fick has taken responsibility for the Black Members' sub-committee and the Disability Committee.
118 These two officials are also the main points of contact in their teams for equality issues. Freda Chapman works within the LPD/RPD/Labs team of officials, and Irene Fick within the A&E/BBC/IB team.
119 A programme of meetings for the Equality Committee is being drawn up. It is also intended to work closely with the divisional committees to identify and work on industrial issues.
120 Current projects, which will be progressed during the year, include:
Equality Workshops: It is planned to hold a weekend workshop of all the equality committees to discuss a cohesive strategy for BECTU's equality work.
Newsletter: An ad hoc newsletter will be published on an occasional basis and will be circulated to branch and divisional equality representatives.
Conferences: Research will be carried out into possible funding sources with a view to holding women's and black members' conferences during the next two years.
Proposition 13/99 Childcare Allowance (AP5)
That this annual conference instructs the NEC, in consultation with the Equality Committee, to look into the provision of expenses for childcare.
The current allowance of £10 a day, regardless of number of children and hours spent away from home, was agreed in 1991, and has never been reviewed, is totally inadequate. At a time when the union is seeking to encourage activity in the union, the lack of increase in this allowance could be viewed as discriminatory against members with young children.
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General Equality Committee
121 The Committee's work has been keenly involved with legal developments affecting discrimination in the workplace - especially disability discrimination and the EOC's proposals for new and stronger sex equality legislation. In its submissions to the EOC the Committee stressed the importance of ensuring rights for all workers regardless of their contractual status or length of service (this was particularly important for maternity leavers). The links between those issues and the Government's final proposals on Fairness at Work will be important to watch in the coming year. The Committee has developed detailed work around violence against women both at work and in the home, a subject high on the Government's agenda.
Disabled members network
122 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has been enacted in several different stages. 1999 sees the implementation of further provisions for goods and services to be made accessible to disabled people. But many employers are still taking no effective steps at all to implement earlier provisions on employment and training of disabled people. Virgin Cinemas' record has been startlingly bad in this respect. The union, and its Disabled Members' Working Party, has given full support to a major national initiative to establish an industry-wide Disability Database to help facilitate the employment and training of disabled workers in the media and entertainment sector. A steering group for the project was set up (BECTU, PACT, BBC and the Broadcasters' Disability Network/Employers' Forum on Disability) and the BBC agreed to fund the pilot project to establish the first stage feasibility study, which is now close to completion. An application for full-scale funding will be presented to funding bodies early in 1999. The Joint Equality Working Party has been considering identifying independent production companies who will act as pilots for developing good practice in recruitment of freelances.
123 BECTU has continued to be represented at the TUC's Disability Forum and at the Trade Union Disability Alliance (TUDA) over the past year, and has made useful contributions particularly in relation to arts and media portrayal and service provision. We have worked closely with the and BDN/EFD, and at various media forums on disability including the Edinburgh International Television Festival.
124 The union is a provider of goods and services and is required by law to make these accessible to disabled people. The TUC has issued useful guidance to affiliates on accessible communications for those with sensory disabilities. BECTU's involvement in work around disability issues recently has generated more demand from members for accessible print formats and for meetings with sign language interpreters, and also for accessible transport to and from meetings. The use of meeting rooms with easy access for people with mobility disabilities has been an important issue for members, not only at head office but also at branch and divisional level. Disabled members have become more involved with their union when these have been provided. As a result they have been able to make a significant contribution to this work over the past year.
Sexuality
125 BECTU shared other union's disappointment at the European Court's decision in the Grant case. However, the union has argued strongly for discrimination based on sexuality to be outlawed under new sex equality legislation, and made a formal submission to this effect to the Equal Opportunities Commission during 1998. The union was represented at the 1998 TUC Lesbian and Gay Workers' Conference, at which we argued against discrimination in pension and other partners' benefits in terms and conditions of employment and associated insurance provisions.
Black Members' Sub-committee
126 Challenging racism is a priority for all workers. BECTU is no exception. The Sub-committee has met regularly throughout the year. It has been a year of high profile for race relations - the year after 1997's European Year Against Racism, with the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry dominating the headlines, and continuing questions about the discriminatory treatment of asylum seekers and many other black and ethnic minority people under Britain's immigration laws.
Proposition 14/99 Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the Anti Nazi League (AP18)
That this annual conference welcomes the report of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and notes with concern its findings concerning the levels of racism within the police, especially in the context of the growth of racist parties in Britain and Europe. Conference therefore believes that stronger support for anti-racist organisations is needed and instructs the NEC to affiliate to the Anti Nazi League.
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127 The union's equality office has continued to support members taking complaints of unlawful race discrimination to their employers and to employment tribunals. Too often, even high profile companies have failed to translate policy into practice. Complaints of race discrimination are ignored or brushed under the carpet, and victim blaming is still a common management response to complaints of racial abuse, or harassment, as with bullying. The role of the Black Members Sub-Committee in supporting members through the process is invaluable. The Sub-committee is now developing wider networks and recruiting more black workers into the union so that they can be better represented at work.
128 Finally, although this year has seen the loss of the union's specialist equality officer post, it has also seen the appointment of the first black woman supervisory official. But there are still no black members on BECTU's National Executive Committee, or amongst its General Officers. Making a difference here would greatly improve future union representation.
Proposition 15/99 Equality Matters on the website (AP17)
That this annual conference proposes that the code of practice with regard to Equality for Freelance Members, worded in the BECTU publication Equality Matters, be reflected in the composition, substance of and contributions to the BECTU website, which is viewable on the internet and accessible from the BBC BECTU office.
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