NEC Report to BECTU 2004 Conference paragraphs 37-102

Membership

37. Each branch secretary is provided with a quarterly report which shows the new members joining the branch and the members leaving the branch during the previous quarter. It also shows transfers between branches. The NEC and divisional officers are supplied monthly with statistical reports on the number of leavers and joiners each month, and a branch breakdown of the total membership figures.

38. The full statistical breakdown of the membership as at 31 December 2003 is given in Appendix C.

39. During the first half of 2004 the Miller Technology membership database, which was installed in March 1999, is being upgraded from a 16-bit to a 32-bit application.

40. The collection of subscriptions and the updating of membership records has been carried out efficiently by the Membership team. At the time of writing the number of members with unknown addresses is 680, broken down as follows: Arts & Entertainment 161, BBC 179, Independent Broadcasting 70, Laboratories 28, London Production 166, Film Artistes 5, Overseas 3, Regional Production 68.

Proposition 4/04 (AP10) BECTU badge

That this annual conference considers the present BECTU badge too small to show clearly. Conference believes that the badge should be enlarged so that others can see more clearly that we as members are proud to show the badge.

41. The definition of Paid-up Member was changed by last year's conference, which means all members with up to six months of arrears are now regarded as Paid-up. All the branch membership reports reflect this change.

42. The union is working on ensuring that potential members will have the opportunity to join online. We hope that by conference 2004 they will be able to do so using credit cards as a payment method, and by the end of 2004 using Direct Debit. It will need further discussions with employers to be able to provide this facility by DAS (deduction-at-source, or check-off). However we will be speaking to some of the major employers with the intention of trying to run a pilot or two, again by the end of 2004.

43. The National Executive Committee has decided to recommend to conference that the top subscription rates for members paying by Direct Debit or Standing Order should be equalised with the top rates for members paying by other means including deduction-at-source. The NEC is therefore proposing the following amendment to the rule book.

Proposition 5/04 (SRS1) Rule 9(b)(i)

That this annual conference, in a special rules session, approves the following alteration to rule under rule 9(e):

In rule 9(b)(i) delete the line "over £30,000 £25.00 £300.00" and insert new lines as follows:
£30,001-£32,500 £25.00 £300.00
£32,501-£35,000 £27.08 £325.00
£35,001-£37,500 £29.17 £350.00
£37,501-£40,000 £31.25 £375.00
£40,001 and over £33.33 £400.00

Life and honorary members

44. The National Executive Committee has awarded life membership of BECTU to the following members during 2003/2004: Geoff Ackroyd, Elizabeth Bage, Derek Banks, Jud Cooper, Ross Cramer, Keith Desmond, Rickie Gauld, Geoffrey Jarman, Brian LeCornu. Josie Macavin, Peter MacKay, Gerald Poulson, Brian Southcott, Christian Wangler, Mike Whittaker, Roger Yates.

45. The National Executive Committee is recommending that the 2004 conference award honorary membership to Bruce Anderson, Michael Deeley, Roy Fowler, Edna Hewitson and Nick Pearson.

Proposition 6/04 (AP6) Retirement branch

That this annual conference instructs the National Executive [Committee] to investigate the possibility of forming a retirement branch or branches. This is on the understanding that this branch or these branches would not be a drain on union resources.

SOC note: SOC recommends the branch to consider compositing AP6 and AP7. SOC has inserted the word in square brackets for consistency.

Proposition 7/04 (AP7) Retired members' forum

That this annual conference recognises that rapid advances have been made in the fields of medical-human and technological resources resulting in extended life expectancy. Conference is further aware that there are no facilities available within BECTU for the increase in retired members of the union. Conference urges the NEC to explore the possibility of creating a retired members' forum solely for persons who have reached retirement whilst being a member of the union. Retired members can be invited to attend their respective divisional committees, to observe and advise. This would also be an influence on the induction of the new members to the union.

SOC note: SOC recommends the branch to withdraw the proposition in favour of AP6, or to consider compositing AP6 and AP7.

The BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme

46. The National Executive Committee has, during the course of the year, agreed jointly with the Trustees of the BECTU Staff Retirement Scheme to issue proceedings against Barnet Waddingham, the scheme's actuaries, and Beacon Asset Management, who up until 2002 acted as investment managers to the scheme. (The background to this was reported in detail to last year's conference.) It is not anticipated that the legal process will reach a conclusion until 2005 at the earliest.

BECTU's staffing

47. The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 14 December agreed to start the process for the election of the Assistant General Secretary position serving the Arts & Entertainment, BBC and Independent Broadcasting divisions. AGS Gerry Morrissey's term of office was due to expire at the end of the summer in 2004. Branch Circular 665 dated 14 January 2004 invited branches in the relevant divisions to make nominations for election as Assistant General Secretary. Gerry Morrissey was the only candidate nominated and was duly elected unopposed for a further five-year term of office.

48. Rob Newland was appointed as the supervisory official servicing members in the London Production, Regional Production and Laboratories divisions following an appointments board on 28 May 2003.

49. The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 21 September considered a paper submitted to it by the General Secretary. The main focus of the paper was whether or not the National Executive Committee wanted to continue to move towards an organising culture across the whole of BECTU. Up until the year 2000 officials were either employed on the grade of national official, supervisory official or elected to the positions of Assistant General Secretaries or General Secretary. Since 2000 we have given several members of the secretarial and clerical staff the opportunity for attachments to the complement of industrial officials in the role of organiser. Essentially the difference in terms of the duties is that the organiser has all of the same responsibilities as a national official minus the responsibility for collective bargaining.

50. The National Executive Committee was conscious that if it were to press ahead to engage organising officials when the opportunities present themselves it would be necessary for all sectors of the union to be convinced that they will benefit from this strategy. It agreed that organising officials should have duties that are genuinely cross-divisional duties, and that their duties should, as far as practicable, be project based and jointly managed by the two Assistant General Secretaries.

51. Against that background the National Executive Committee decided to promote Feyi Raimi-Abraham from the position of organiser to that of National Official. Feyi started her duties as an organiser with responsibility for organising and recruiting members in Land Securities Trillium, a service company offering a range of different services to the BBC. The membership was built up in that area and the income from that exercise is such as to be able to sustain the cost of this post in the long term. Feyi's current duties now mean she is working as part of the team of officials servicing members in the BBC, Independent Broadcasting and Arts & Entertainment divisions.

52. The National Executive Committee also decided that the secretarial post in the Birmingham office should, with effect from 1 January 2004, be closed down and that the post should be converted to an organiser post. Lynne Korniak, the former secretary in the Birmingham office, was offered redeployment as an organising official. The duties of this postholder are to service members based, broadly speaking, anywhere between Milton Keynes and Manchester, and to carry out any project work that falls into that geographical area.

53. The National Executive Committee also decided to establish a part-time secretarial position in Manchester providing support to Paul Atkinson.

54. The National Executive Committee went on to examine the continuing need for an organiser post in Scotland if we were successfully to recruit at Sky and to continue our efforts for freelance recognition on various productions in the BBC and elsewhere. It agreed to establish an organiser post based in the Scottish office that would serve members anywhere between Scotland down as far as Manchester. This post was advertised internally and externally and following an appointments board on 9 and 10 December Margaret McGrevey was appointed to the post.

55. The National Executive Committee also examined some of the difficulties that will be created by the major new provisions of the equality legislation which came into force at the beginning of December 2003. These include new regulations on sexual orientation, religion and belief, an extension of the Race Relations Act and the announcement of the age discrimination legislation expected to come into force no later than 2006.

56. The National Executive Committee was concerned that if members were simply referred to our solicitors on these matters our legal bill could start to spiral out of control. It therefore decided to advertise amongst the National Officials the opportunity for two officials to have overall responsibility for advising members, representatives and other officials on this legislation. Those officials were to be paid an additional supplement which was halfway between the salary of the national officials and the supervisory officials.

57. Any official expressing an interest in this position will be sent on a training course and a formal appointment procedure will result in these positions being filled.

58. The National Executive Committee is also looking at the potential implications of the age discrimination legislation for BECTU as an employer. In the current agreement between the National Executive Committee and the recognised shops for the union's employees, the relevant paragraph states: "The normal retirement date for each employee is his/her 60th birthday." The National Executive Committee does not believe that it will be able to enforce this clause of the contract beyond the middle of 2005.

59. The General Secretary is currently engaged in discussions with the head office shops and is reporting back to the National Executive Committee as necessary.

60. The pay of all BECTU staff was increased by 3% from 1 January 2004.

61. Kieran Marsh left BECTU's employment in September 2003. Tony Norton joined BECTU's staff in January 2004 and Linda Pimblett in April 2004.

62. The gender balance of BECTU's employees is given in the following table:

¹ Six month part-time contracts - includes one permanent clerical staff member on secondment

Federation of Entertainment Unions

63. BECTU has continued to play an active role in the FEU. The FEU now hosts the largest reception at the Trades Union Congress on an annual basis. The cost to each of the affiliated unions is approximately £1,800. The National Executive Committee are taking the view that this is money well spent in terms of increasing BECTU's profile. The FEU now has regular liaison meetings with the Chief Executives of the BBC, Ofcom and the Film Council. BECTU has during the year campaigned with other FEU unions on issues such as the Communications Bill, the setting up of Sector Skills Councils and other relevant matters.

Trades Union Congress etc.

64. BECTU's delegation to the 2003 Trades Union Congress was as follows: Tony Lennon, Turlough MacDaid, Jack Amos, Christine Bond and the General Secretary.

65. The two motions submitted by BECTU were as follows:

Employment Status

Congress notes with concern the continuing confusion in UK employment law, under which large numbers of atypical workers are denied access to employment right through their failure to qualify as "employees" or even as "workers".

Congress further notes that the Government's review of employment status is still continuing without as yet any clear public conclusions or a timescale for implementation.

Congress therefore calls on the General Council to campaign for:

• a new and inclusive definition of "worker" determining access to all employment rights;
• a statutory presumption of coverage for all workers with the burden of proof on employers to show that an individual is not a worker;
• specific inclusion of individual freelances (including PAYE freelances and schedule D freelances) within the definition of "worker";
• an acceptance that tax status is a separate area and should not in itself be used to determine employment status;
• urgent progress, based on these policies, with the review of employment status.

Pensions

In the light of the continuing crisis in occupational pensions, including the closure of final salary schemes, the widespread reductions in pension benefits and the massive extent of pension scheme deficits, Congress calls on the General Council to prioritise its campaigning on pensions with the aim that all workers should have access to a secure and sufficient retirement income.

Congress believes that the key elements of such a campaign should include:

• minimum compulsory employer contributions to workers' pensions schemes, with a target in excess of 10%;
• the introduction of further measures such as employer pension insurance to ensure pension scheme members are not deprived of all benefits by failing, discontinued schemes;
• allowing pension scheme membership to be a condition of employment; increased tax incentives for pension schemes and the review of any tax measures which act as disincentives;
• a review of the impact of accounting standard FRS17, which can present even previously well-funded schemes as being in serious deficit;
• protection of existing members' rights to occupational pensions without abatement at their current contractual retirement age, in the event of any unwelcome pressure towards a later retirement age.

66. Both motions were composited and carried as part of the composites.

67. BECTU's delegations to the following 2003 conferences were as follows: Scottish Trades Union Congress (Turlough MacDaid, Paul McManus, Douglas McGill, Mary Corner), Wales TUC Annual Conference (David Bumford, Si�n Gale), TUC Disability Conference (Roy Dawson, Bill Whittemore, Ann Pointon, Turlough MacDaid), TUC Women's Conference (Rose McDonald, Kate Elliott, Belinda Hale, Rebecca Whitehead, Angela Knight), TUC Black Workers' Conference (Rose McDonald, Lynsey Williams, Vernon King, John Lewis), TUC Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Conference (Paul Vassallo, Dennis Claridge).

68. BECTU has been represented on the Executive Committee, Creative and Leisure Industries Committee, Public Services Committee, Race Relations Committee, Transport Industries Committee, and Pensioners Network of SERTUC (Jack Amos, Mark David-Gray, Phil Hooley, Jenni Boswell-Jones, Rose McDonald, Joyce Williams, Tony Lennon, Stuart Smith, Bill Whittemore, Nicky Allan, Kate Elliott, Gino Najera).

The Hutton Inquiry

69. BECTU was not invited to make, and did not make, any submissions to the Hutton Inquiry. Following publication of the Hutton Report there were the resignations of the Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors and the Director General of the BBC. BECTU organised successful public lunchtime demonstrations by BBC staff on 5 February 2004, protesting about the political interference in the BBC. These demonstrations took place at Television Centre, White City, Broadcasting House and Bush House in London, as well as in Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol.

70. On 4 February a delegation from BECTU, led by the General Secretary, met with Ian McCartney, the Chairman of the Labour Party, regarding a number of issues including the Hutton Inquiry and the implications it may have in relation to the renegotiation of the BBC Charter. BECTU's position was made clear to Mr McCartney, that we would oppose any reduction in the BBC's activities as it would damage Public Service Broadcasting in this country. BECTU will of course be making a full submission to government on the BBC Charter renewal.

Labour Party

71. BECTU was represented at the 2003 Labour Party Conference held in Bournemouth by AGS Gerry Morrissey and the Treasurer Turlough MacDaid.

72. BECTU was represented at the 2003 Scottish Labour Party by Turlough MacDaid, and at the 2003 Wales Labour Party Conference by David Bumford and David Donovan.

73. The National Executive Committee during the course of the year gave consideration to, and acted on, proposition 14/03 carried at the union's 2003 annual conference. The text of proposition 14/03 was as follows:

That this annual conference notes that the Labour government:

1. is involved in an increasing number of confrontations with public sector workers seeking better pay and conditions;
2. is continuing to pursue policies of privatisation and cuts, and ignoring popular demands for return of services such as the railways to democratic control;
3. has failed to improve educational standards while making it harder for working people to get access to a full education;
4. has continually sought advisors from the ranks of wealthy employers, rather than from representatives of the unions that fund the Labour Party.

Conference therefore instructs the National Executive Committee:

1. to look for alternative electoral organisations and individuals that are prepared to represent the interests of union members in Parliament;
2. to report to members on what such organisations and individuals exist;
3. to offer members the chance to vote on whether BECTU should continue with affiliation to the Labour Party or should open up its political fund to support those organisations and individuals that better represent our members whether on a national or local level.

74. The first matter considered by the National Executive Committee in relation to this proposition was its own position in relation to any campaign to be conducted. The National Executive Committee noted that it remained BECTU's policy to be affiliated to the Labour Party at the end of the union's 2003 annual conference, and believed that it was its duty to campaign for that affiliation to remain intact.

75. All branches received a mailing from the General Secretary explaining the proposition that had been passed by conference, and setting out how the National Executive Committee intended to deal with this.

76. The National Executive Committee did look for alternative electoral organisations and a report of that exercise was included in a letter sent to all members by the General Secretary. The National Executive Committee also organised a series of meetings throughout the UK to discuss conference proposition 14/03.

77. A meeting was held in central London on 8 October, two meetings in Manchester on 9 October, a meeting in Leeds on 15 October, two meetings in Cardiff on 16 October, a meeting in Bristol on 16 October, a meeting in West London on 29 October, two meetings in Birmingham on 4 November, a meeting in Nottingham on 5 November, and a meeting in Glasgow on 7 November.

78. The proposition received extensive coverage in the union's journal and both sides of the argument for and against affiliation were comprehensively covered in the letters page of the November issue of Stage Screen & Radio.

79. BECTU's members were sent ballot papers on 7 November 2003 and the ballot closed at midday on Friday 28 November 2003. 5,725 members voted in favour of remaining affiliated to the Labour Party and 2,135 members voted against. There was an impressive turnout in the ballot with a conclusive result in favour of retaining our links with the Labour Party.

80. The National Executive Committee hopes that this matter is now settled for some years to come. This was a very labour-intensive exercise and it used up a considerable amount of the already thinly-stretched resources available to the union.

81. The total financial cost of the exercise was £27,020.

Liberal Democratic Party Conference

82. Vice President Tudor Gates, at the request of the National Executive Committee, attended a reception given by the BBC World Service at the Liberal Democratic Party conference in September 2003.

Political fund review ballot

83. BECTU is required by law to ballot its members to continue its political fund by the autumn of 2005. The National Executive Committee decided to affiliate to the Trade Union Co-ordinating Committee, which is co-ordinating the work being undertaken by those unions compelled to re-ballot their memberships on renewing their political funds. The TUCC has suggested that the ballots of the various unions should take place in three phases, with unions co-ordinating their campaigns and the timing of their results.

84. The National Executive Committee at its meeting on 9 November 2003 agreed in principle to the strategy being suggested by the TUCC. At its meeting on 7 March 2004 it adopted a detailed timetable culminating in a ballot opening in early October and closing on 12 November 2004.

Directors' Guild of Great Britain

85. We continue to co-operate with the Directors' Guild of Great Britain (DGGB) and the Directors' & Producers' Rights Society (DPRS) in the Directors Alliance. The three organisations jointly meet the UK broadcasters and PACT at the Directors Forum, where strategic issues affecting freelance TV Directors are discussed. Contract Guidelines, and a Code of Practice for Fiction Production, have been produced. At the time of writing the Forum is working on a Code of Practice for Non-Fiction Production, and a joint statement on Moral Rights.

86. Exploratory talks continue with the DGGB on our future relationship, including the possibility that DGGB film/TV members may at some point become members of BECTU. Continuation of these exploratory talks has been endorsed by BECTU's NEC and by the DGGB's Council.

87. In September 2003 directors' organisations from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and USA gathered for the third year running. Practical co-operation and information-exchange is now well-established, and it was decided to formalise the arrangement by establishing the International Association of English-Speaking Directors' Organisations. This was accompanied by the publication of a joint Code of Practice, known as the Dublin Declaration.

Alliance for the Protection of Copyright

88. APC, the Alliance for Protection of Copyright, is now well established having negotiated a Code of Practice with BBC, ITV, C4 and C5, for the submission of programme proposals. The formation of APC was pioneered by BECTU and the Alliance now consists of BECTU, Writers' Guild, Directors' Guild of Great Britain, NUJ, Women in Film & Television, and the Society of Authors.

89. APC, which is a free service to members, has dealt with numerous complaints of copyright theft over the years and has won some significant cases for BECTU members, restoring the copyright to their original work together with a proper and adequate financial settlement. APC has recently met with the broadcasters to review the Code of Practice and it was agreed the Code is working extremely well, preventing protracted legal battles that benefit no one.

International

90. The UNI-MEI General Assembly was held in Los Angeles from 1 to 3 October 2003. UNI-MEI is the Media Entertainment International section of Union Network International.

91. BECTU was represented at the Assembly by the President, General Secretary, AGS Martin Spence and Andy Egan. The main themes of the Assembly were the concentration of media ownership, public service broadcasting, copyright, cultural diversity.

92. This was the first full Assembly since the merger with UNI and despite some early teething problems UNI-MEI is now working as a coherent, effective international and is recognised as representing audio/visual workers all over the world.

93. The President and the General Secretary continue to represent BECTU on the World Executive Committee of UNI-MEI. The General Secretary and AGS Gerry Morrissey continue to represent BECTU on the Executive Committee of EURO-MEI.

94. The National Executive Committee has invited the General Secretary of UNI, Philip Jennings, to address BECTU's conference.

95. Tom Short, the International President of IATSE (our North American sister union) addressed BECTU's 2001 annual conference. In his address he spoke of the matters that BECTU and IATSE had in common and set out some of his thinking of a vision of closer working between BECTU and IATSE.

96. The President and the General Secretary of BECTU attended a meeting of the IATSE Board in January 2003 in Palm Springs. It was agreed at that Board meeting that there would be a more formal exchange between the two unions with a view to developing an agreed programme of work. In June 2003 Debbie Reid (International Representative - special projects), Matthew Loeb (Tenth Vice President), Ron Kutak (Special Representative) and Tony DePaulo (International Vice President) came to London for a two-day meeting with their BECTU counterparts. Attending the meeting for BECTU were the President, General Secretary, AGSs Gerry Morrissey and Martin Spence, Andy Egan and Willy Donaghy.

97. This was followed by a visit to Los Angeles by BECTU's representatives (the President, General Secretary, AGS Martin Spence and Andy Egan) in October 2003.

98. The first three days of the discussions in London and Los Angeles dealt with the respective rules and constitutions of the two unions and with the representatives becoming familiar with the various agreements that both unions work under and the manner in which they organise and recruit members. On the last day of the meeting in Los Angeles it was jointly agreed to put the following proposal for endorsement to the respective governing bodies of BECTU and IATSE:

(a) a regular exchange of officials to take place as deemed appropriate by each organisation;

(b) that IATSE and BECTU share information about those employers with whom we regularly encounter difficulties;

(c) that members of IATSE be invited to attend a number of relevant negotiations with UK employers, and that members of BECTU be invited to attend a number of relevant negotiations that take place with US employers;

(d) that a schedule of conference calls between IATSE and BECTU official is agreed, implemented and adhered to;

(e) that both unions regularly exchange copies of their journals;

(f) that representatives of IATSE be invited on a regular basis to attend BECTU's conferences and that representatives from BECTU be invited to attend the IATSE conventions;

(g) that IATSE and BECTU seek to establish one or more joint research projects;

(h) that BECTU and IATSE seek to establish a Code of Practice for their members working on feature films. The Code of Practice to include mutual assistance by BECTU to IATSE members, and by IATSE to BECTU members.

99.The National Executive Committee has invited Tom Short again to address BECTU's conference.

Affiliations

100. BECTU has remained affiliated to the following organisations since last year's conference:

General Fund
Federation of Entertainment Unions £2,500
General Federation of Trade Unions £6,000
Irish Congress of Trade Unions £618
Scottish Trades Union Congress £1,479
Trades Union Congress £44,705
Union Network International - Media Entertainment International £26,550
Political Fund
Action for Southern Africa £150
Amnesty International £127
Arts for Labour £300
British Copyright Council £820
British Film Institute £176
British Screen Advisory Council £4,225
Campaign for Freedom of Information (variable)
Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom £225
Cuba Solidarity Campaign £75
Institute of Employment Rights £231
Institute for Public Policy Research £250
International Centre for Trade Union Rights £100
Labour Party £23,925
Labour Research Department £634
Lobby to End Age Discrimination £200
Mechanics Institute £50
National Abortion Campaign £100
National Assembly Against Racism (variable)
National Campaign for the Arts £294
NHS Support Federation £250
Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign £200
Palestine Solidarity Campaign £100
Scottish Labour Party £250
Skillset £1,175
Southern and Eastern Regional TUC £250
Trade Union CND £200
Trade Union Disability Alliance £100
United Campaign for the Repeal of Anti Trade Union Laws £100
Wales Labour Party £200
War on Want £200

101. Since 2003 the National Executive Committee has decided to affiliate to the Trade Union Co-ordinating Committee, the Corporate Responsibility Coalition, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, and Justice for Colombia.

Proposition 8/04 (AP20) UAF affiliation

That this annual conference notes with concern the rise in popularity of the BNP and their increasing electoral success in the past few years. It therefore welcomes the coming together of anti-racist organisations, activists and trade unions to form Unite Against Fascism (UAF). This conference believes that BECTU should continue to be at the heart of the struggle against racism and fascism and therefore instructs the NEC to affiliate BECTU to UAF.

Proposition 9/04 (AP21) Affiliation to the Stop the War Coalition

That this annual conference is concerned at the large numbers of civilians and troops from all sides who have lost their lives as a result of the war and ongoing occupation of Iraq.

Conference also notes the historic demonstrations organised by the Stop the War Coalition against the war itself and the visit of George W Bush to Britain. Stop the War is continuing to campaign against the occupation of Iraq, and to prevent wars in Iran, Syria and North Korea. Conference believes it is not in this country's interest to pursue such wars, and therefore instructs BECTU to affiliate to the Stop the War Coalition.

Proposition 10/04 (AP22) Resignation of the Prime Minister

That this annual conference, in view of the Prime Minister's duplicity and deceit in involving the British armed forces in an illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, which has resulted in the tragic loss of innocent lives and the maiming of others, asks delegates from BECTU to the TUC and Labour Party conferences to argue the issue of the Prime Minister's resignation and a new trade union orientated leadership.

Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund

102. The CTBF is the major industry charity that has been supported by BECTU and its predecessor unions over a long period of time. Many members of BECTU have, over the years, benefited in their time of need through the relief brought by the activities of the CTBF. The National Executive Committee has invited a representative from the CTBF to address BECTU's conference.