34 The Structure Working Party formed after the 1998 annual conference set out five objectives, as follows:
- industrial gains for members
- organisation development
- increased recruitment and retention
- improved communications, and
- improved finances
35 The NEC agreed to continue to produce an annual forecast for income and expenditure and to require the two Assistant General Secretaries to produce an annual recruitment and retention strategy.
Recruitment and retention
36 The NEC adopted three key recommendations on the question of recruitment and retention. They are as follows:
- that we reaffirm that the NEC and the divisional committees of the union should work in partnership to produce an annual recruitment and retention plan and that this should be presented to the NEC no later than September of each year;
- that the NEC remains responsible for monitoring the performance of the recruitment and retention plans devised and agreed by divisional committees;
- that the NEC monitors very closely the arrangements being put in place by Electoral Reform Ballot Services to ensure that the new measures are effective in reducing the amount of lapsing that occurs because subscriptions are not renewed.
37 There has, over the last ten years, been an explosion in the number of media courses being offered by universities and colleges. A decade ago, when only a relatively small number of institutions offered media courses, it was possible for the union to accredit media courses and to make regular visits to institutions offering media courses. The growth in these courses has meant that this is no longer a practical proposition. At the same time the union is attracting a steady amount of members from graduates leaving these courses.
38 The NEC has already endorsed the recruitment and retention plan put forward by AGS Marilyn Goodman. This plan envisages the union identifying a number of institutions offering media courses and visiting those institutions at least once a year. The NEC has also agreed that by the end of the year 2000 the union should have established an comprehensive database of all institutions in the UK offering media courses and should be supplying to all of them at least once a year information about graduate membership of BECTU.
Proposition 2/00 (AP2) Young members
That this annual conference calls on the NEC to act upon proposition 19/99 passed at last year's conference regarding the possible formation of some sort of Young Members Network or Forum. The aim of such a body should be to work for the recruitment, retention, representation and organisation of young people in our sector.
Film & Tape Editing
SOC note The movers of propositions 2, 3 and 4 are urged to consider compositing those propositions
Proposition 3/00 (AP3) New entrant/graduate members' handbook
That this annual conference instructs the NEC to produce a handbook for New Entrant and Graduate members. This should include information about training within the industry; employment rights, especially concerning minimum pay and hours of work; and the structure and working practices of the union itself. This handbook should be put together with the fullest possible involvement of New Entrant and Graduate members through their branches and be available to members by the end of 2000. Once produced the handbook should automatically be sent to all relevant new members upon enrolment.
New Entrants & Graduates
SOC note The movers of propositions 2, 3 and 4 are urged to consider compositing those propositions
Proposition 4/00 (AP4) NUS and new entrant/graduate recruitment
That this annual conference instructs the NEC to establish an ongoing working relationship between BECTU and the National Union of Students in order to make sure that as many new entrants and graduates as possible are made aware of the union's existence and relevance. Appropriate publicity material such as posters should be produced; participation take place in relevant NUS conferences and events; and articles and advertisements be placed in NUS publications. This process should include the widest possible involvement of new entrant, graduate and other relevant members through their branches.
New Entrants & Graduates
SOC note The movers of propositions 2, 3 and 4 are urged to consider compositing those propositions
Mission statement
39 The Structure Working Party suggested that the union should adopt a mission statement. The NEC considered the wording of the statement suggested by the Structure Working Party and was not convinced that it was the correct mission statement for BECTU. The NEC has therefore drafted an alternative mission statement and invites conference to adopt either the original mission statement suggested by the Structure Working Party set out in (a) below, or the alternative draft by the NEC set out in (b) below:
- BECTU exists to improve and safeguard the material conditions of its members across the cultural and allied industries in all regions and countries of the UK. To this end it seeks actively to promote and encourage a strong, indigenous cultural and media base, and supports the principle of lifelong learning and the nurturing of technical and creative abilities to the highest professional standards. It further seeks to uphold and extend the industrial, economic, social, legal and political rights of its members, fight discrimination and ensure that appropriate standards of health and safety, pay and working conditions are maintained.
- BECTU derives its strength and unity from the democratic will of its members, all of whom are equal. It fights to protect and improve the standards of their pay, working conditions, and health and safety provisions, and to uphold and extend their legal rights.
40 The Structure Working Party report contained a submission from the two Assistant General Secretaries setting out industrial objectives. The industrial policy of BECTU under the rules clearly belongs to the divisional committees of the union and should only involve the NEC when an industrial issue involves two or more divisions of the union, or is of general interest to the union. The NEC reaffirms the principle that it is the management committee of the union, and that except where provided for under rule, divisional committees are and shall remain responsible for the industrial policy of the union.
41 The NEC acknowledged that the current inter-divisional machinery is bureaucratic and not conducive to divisions having free exchange of views on industrial issues. The NEC continue to believe that the inter-divisional events organised to discuss the Working Time Regulations and Fairness at Work were successful and beneficial. The NEC agreed that at least one such event should be held per year in order to bring divisions together to discuss important and relevant industrial issues.
Proposition 5/00 (AP7) Convergence
That this annual conference, in view of the recent merger between America On Line and Time-Warner, which is a major move in the convergence of computer services and film and television broadcasting, asks that a cross-divisional debate be held on the issues raised by convergence for all members, and for the future of BECTU itself, in a forum similar to that used to consider the Working Time Regulations and Fairness at Work legislation.
North West Freelance
Proposition 6/00 (AP22) Broadcasting regulation
That this annual conference agrees that broadcasting in Scotland should no longer be a reserved power to Westminster.
Scottish Television
Press and publicity
42 The responsibility for the co-ordination of recruitment and retention leaflets and union posters has now been allocated to the journal editor/press and publicity officer. The NEC welcomes this development as achieving one of the major recommendations of the Structure Working Party report. There will be a need in the year 2000 to authorise a redesign of the recruitment and retention posters and leaflets. The NEC agreed that the redesign costs should be paid for by the union nationally but that divisional committees should remain responsible for the costs they incur by ordering quantities of the recruitment leaflets.
43 The union has recently invested considerable funds in upgrading the technology available to the editor of Stage Screen and Radio as well as authorising funds for a redesign and re-launch of the journal. This has proved extremely successful and the editor is to be congratulated. It is obviously important that lay officers and full time officials make a regular contribution by submitting articles for publication in the journal. It is too often the case that the editor is left struggling for copy.
44 The NEC has endorsed the proposal that the union's journal should be used more effectively and proactively by divisions by linking it at an early planning stage with industrial or recruitment campaigns.
45 The NEC has agreed with the Structure Working Party that the manner in which the union issues press releases often leaves a great deal to be desired. It has requested the press and publicity officer to produce a plan for improving effectiveness in this area with a timetable for implementation by the end of the year 2000.
46 The NEC agreed that it should obtain estimates for a more professionally designed and portable exhibition stand for use by BECTU at events.
Computer technology and the internet
47 Over the last two years BECTU has invested a great deal of money in computer technology. The union is still in the process of installing fully the new membership database at head office. We know from experience that it is a mistake to think that computer technology can ever be, by itself, a solution to all problems. It was never envisaged that the union would be in a position to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by the new technology the day after it was installed, and whilst the use of e-mail offers considerable potential savings it needs to be realised that it is not a suitable form of communication in all cases. There will always be a need for some documents to be circulated in hard copy.
48 The NEC agreed that the union should have achieved a position where we can and do e-mail branches and individual members who wish to receive communication in that form by July 2001.
49 The NEC agreed that the fundamental structure and presentation of the union's website at www.bectu.org.uk remain as they currently are, that the different divisional committees of the union be asked to place the website on their agenda as a standing item in order to remind all concerned of the need to update the webmaster, NEC member Tony Scott, with information, and that Tony Scott be asked to explore the feasibility of including on the website a online membership application form. There has been continued growth of the www.bectu.org.uk website, both in terms of users and content, throughout the past year. The site presents both a public profile for the union on the internet as well as providing news and information for BECTU members. The news section has tracked a number of issues, including the BBC licence fee review, the introduction of the Working Time Regulations, millennium working arrangements, along with disputes at Granada Media Group, a number of theatres and ITN. The website has been of value on a number of occasions by providing timely updates concerning ongoing disputes. A number of technical improvements have been made to the site since the last annual conference, and further developments are under consideration at the time of writing. Guidelines for branch websites, adopted by the NEC at its meeting on the 5 March 2000, are attached to this report as Appendix C.
50 The NEC believes that as a union involved in the communications business it is important that it is up to date and efficient in its own communications, and that whilst the preceding recommendations will assist there is still further work to be done in the area of communications. The NEC decided that the incoming NEC should establish a small working party on this question and that it should produce a report in time for the union's conference in 2001.
Proposition 7/00 (AP6) Technology in BECTU
That this annual conference recognises that there is a need for this union's officials to be at least as membership-friendly as other communication and media unions. In the light of the massive increase in the use of mobile phones in the last year alone the NEC must ensure that National Officials and lay officers are available through this medium at appropriate times in order for BECTU to best serve its membership.
Bush House 2
Membership and records
51 The Structure Working Party report referred to the review that was to take place of the membership and records department. This review has now been completed and quite fundamental changes made. The NEC endorsed the changes that have been made in the membership and records area which has resulted in the bulk of subscription administration being undertaken by Electoral Reform Services, formerly Electoral Reform Ballot Services (see paragraphs 87ff below).
Head office
52 The NEC has agreed that if by the end of June 2000 a suitable alternative head office has not been identified, the union will remain based in 111 Wardour Street for at least another three years, and that at the end of the year 2000 a realistic sum of money will be allocated to upgrade the relevant facilities in the union's head office.
Services to members
53 The NEC agreed that it should seek to determine whether it is possible for BECTU to develop its own online directory service for freelance members of the two production divisions, that in doing so we should acknowledge that there is a serious financial start-up cost and a requirement for a continuing financial commitment, and that a conclusion as to the feasibility of this should be reached by the end of the year 2000.
54 The second important service that could be offered to freelance members falls under the generic heading of pensions. The government is still developing its proposals on stakeholder pensions. Stakeholder pensions could offer a real opportunity for the union to become a provider or a facilitator for pensions for its freelance members. The NEC intends to explore this proposition and come to a conclusion on it no later than the end of 2002.
55 The manner in which other services to members are reviewed is no longer satisfactory and the Structure Working Party considered that there should be a detailed examination of these services at least once a year. The NEC agreed that the Finance & General Purposes Committee with the assistance of the research officer should examine the full range of services BECTU offers to its members on an annual basis.
Amalgamation
56 The NEC agreed that a decision should be reached as to whether or not BECTU wished to take forward the amalgamation discussions with the NUJ by the time BECTU's annual conference meets in 2001, but this matter was overtaken by events in February 2000 (see paragraphs 80ff below.)
BECTU staff
57 The NEC agreed that by the end of the year 2000 the General Secretary should conduct a training needs analysis on all members of BECTU staff and that we seek to allocate proper funds to facilitate this training in 2001.
Life, honorary and deceased members
58 The National Executive Committee has, during the course of the last year, awarded life membership to Teddy Darvas, Prof. George Brandt, George Twyman, Charlie Applebee, Roy Bryan and Derek Cornell.
59 The NEC is inviting conference to approve the award of honorary membership to Sally Stoner, Dr. Nicholas Ardizzone, Roy Lockett and (posthumously) Bob Caswell.
60 The union's journal (up to its March 2000 issue) has recorded that the following members and/or employees of BECTU, or its founder unions, have passed away during the course of the last year: Dave Aaron, Tony Beeton, Geoffrey Bell, Peter Bould, Bob Caswell, Stella Chamberlain, Derek Conrad, Jill Craigie, Alan Dinsdale, Alan Gourlay, Charlie Hamill, Basil Hearn, Tony Hinton, Howard Lee, John Monck, Gerald Moss, Harold Payne, Joe Pearce, Ron Pope, Tom Rhys, John Rickword, Steve Robertshaw, Alan Ross, Winston Ryder, Dave Sayers, Charles Staffell, John Stears, Jack Stevens, John Varley, Len Waldorf, Ernest Walter, Sir John Woolf.