Stage, Screen & Radio - December/January 2015 - 13

we're getting there. "Martin is proud
of the Joint industry grading scheme
which BECTU set up with Equity, the
BBC, ITV and PACT to create a legal
framework for grading schemes in
safety critical areas.
He also points to Set Craft Rights:
the collecting society for editors,
cinematographers, production
designers and costume designers.
"I think everyone recognises that
without BECTU, Screen Craft Rights
wouldn't exist. We have got hold of

Campaigner:
Martin Spence
speaks at the
union's annual
conference (top)
and receives
Honorary
Membership,
awarded by
General
Secretary Gerry
Morrissey. Right:
Ken Loach's Days
of Hope

December/January 2015 Stage Screen & Radio

over £1-million collected in other
European countries where they
recognise these grades as a creative
contribution to films and television.
And we must thank Suzanne Dormer
our chief executive for her enormous
knowledge and expertise."
Martin is aware that BECTU's active
involvement in the campaign against
internet piracy has been controversial,
though it has consistently been
approved by the union's conference.
"Internet piracy is a slow-burn,
longterm threat to employment right
aross the creative industries," he says.
He is also very proud of the union's
work on the National Minimum Wage
and now the Living Wage. "For a
number of years we were the main
voice objecting to the presumption
that the "only way" for young people
to get into film/TV is to work unpaid
for a few months (or years), whether
as an 'intern' or 'trainee' or whatever.
We can't claim to have won, but we
have shifted the debate. And the
Nicky Vetta NMW Employment
Tribunal victory in 2009 was crucial in
this. Now our campaigning work has
moved on to focus equally on the
Living Wage, as represented by the
Ritzy dispute, which is great."
Martin's work within BECTU has
predominantly concerned freelance
workers, and one of the most
rewarding parts of his job has been
helping individual members sort out
problems. There were payment issues
but also contract disputes, health &
safety issues, working hours / rest
break issues, unfair / wrongful
dismissal, copyright ... the list goes
on. The key message is that unions do
make a difference: we understand all
this stuff better than most employers."
"Freelancing" is becoming more
important right across the economy,"
he adds. "These workers are often
vulnerable and need support, but in
many other industries there is no

tradition of freelances belonging to
trade unions, and the idea of freelances
being collectively organised seems like
a contradiction in terms. But it isn't, as
BECTU proves. This is so familiar to us
that we sometimes forget what an
achievement it is. I suspect our
experience and expertise in organising
and representing freelances may
increasingly become a resource for
the trade union movement as a whole.
LABORATORIES

"Finally, something I regret: on my
watch we saw the (near) extinction of
the film labs," he says. "Labs workers
were the industrial heart of the ACT in
the 1930s and 1940s, and without
them the union back then would have
found it difficult to survive. The closure
first of Technicolor and then of De
Luxe over the past few years marked
the end of an era. But even though
we've lost the big labs, we do still have
lab capacity in the UK so shooting on
film is still a creative option."
Martin's last day at work was Friday
24 October - but he is still assisting with
some matters including the continuing
PACT film negotiations. He is delighted
that Spencer MacDonald is taking the
reins, with Tom Bell continuing as the
supervisory official in LPD: the three
colleagues have worked very closely
together for many years.
Martin believes there are strong
reasons to be optimistic for BECTU's
future, especially because the union is
within a growing industry. "All political
parties agree that the creative industries,
including broadcasting, film and theatre,
are crucial for Britain's future prosperity.
We are a centre of excellence."
And the contribution to BECTU that
has been made over so many years
by this thoughtful, conscientious and
highly principled man will be
remembered with gratitude by his
colleagues and members for many
years to come. l
13
Stage, Screen & Radio - December/January 2015

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