Stage, Screen & Radio - December/January 2015 - 7

Letters
Please post, email or fax your letters to The Editor, Stage Screen & Radio, 373-377 Clapham Road, London SW9 9BT
020 7346 0900 fax 020 7346 0901 email editor@bectu.org.uk bectu@twitter

Noel Harris remembered
I was saddened to read of the death
of Noel Harris in the October issue
of the journal. I met him whilst I was
shop steward at ITV Central (West)
and it is no exaggeration to say he
was an inspiration. ITV was
'rationalising' and it was apparent
that the cuts to its Midlands studios
would be deep.
Noel breathed new life into the
campaign against the cuts and I will
never forget the confidence with
which he spoke at meetings. We
shared a few beers too and he was
great company, even if things had
not gone our way.
I have kept the business card
he gave me at the time, because it
still makes me laugh. I suspect he
disapproved of the merger with
BETA to form BECTU - for it was
one of his old ACTT cards.
Neill Jongman

Noel Harris

Respect roadies
As a long-time freelance
member of BECTU I was
dismayed to read the
comment on page 4 of
October/November's
Stage Screen & Radio, from
a BECTU rep: "We are not
glorified roadies" in relation
to the West End SOLT ballot.
As someone who has
worked in various roles
throughout our industry
- live music, theatre and,
increasingly, the corporate
events / conference market
- I strongly feel that we
should not be putting down
our fellow workers. Roadies,
road crew, work very long
hours in physically
demanding conditions. The
implication that their work
is somehow worth less than
that of a theatre staff
member is offensive.

I recognise that theatre
staff are amongst the
lowest paid in the industry,
working long, often
antisocial hours. I am
pleased that they have
successfully negotiated a
better pay deal. I would
have thought that such staff
would feel some kindred
spirit towards their
equivalents in the live music
sphere. I feel it is particularly
unfortunate that BECTU
chose to publish this
comment in its journal. At
a time when we should be
encouraging new members
from all areas of the industry,
the comment is certainly not
likely to encourage road crew
to join up.
lampyluke
l You're right: apologies for
this oversight. - Editor

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December/January 2015 Stage Screen & Radio

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Stage, Screen & Radio - December/January 2015

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