The facts behind the Elstree studio strike

THE opening ceremony of our new studios at Elstree went off successfully, although I am sure that many members of the staff will regret the lost opportunity to show our guests the new studios in full operation. The lost opportunity arose through the action of some members of the ACTT [Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians – Ed], and it is my view that the staff of the Company deserve a factual account of the events which involved the stoppages on this important day in the Company’s history.

On February 21, the Company and the union reached agreement on a number of issues raised by the union. Minutes were agreed recording the settlement, and a document issued by the union to its members listed the matters which were agreed, describing the whole as “a satisfactory settlement on the outstanding issues”.

The Company implemented all the decisions.

Without notice to the Company, certain ACTT members left their jobs at the Elstree Studios on the afternoon of Thursday, April 6 to hold a meeting.

This meeting passed a resolution which expressed “bitter disappointment at the Company’s failure to honour the agreement reached following the recent negotiations” and empowered the committee “to take further action to bring about a settlement”.

The committee referred to in the resolution was the ATV-ACTT shop committee.

Two Upgradings

The “failure to honour the agreement” proved to be an additional demand that the Company should upgrade immediately two people not mentioned in the agreed minutes recording the settlement reached, or in the document issued by the union to its members.

A meeting between the Company and local union representatives on Thursday evening produced no results other than a clear statement from the Company that it would not in any circumstances negotiate under duress but would deal with issues at any time through the properly agreed procedure.

The Company contacted ACTT’s acting general secretary and arranged a meeting for 10.15 a.m. on Friday.

The ACTT representatives did not arrive until 10.45 a.m. as a result of traffic hold-ups.

While the meeting was proceeding certain ACTT members left their jobs at Elstree Studios to attend another meeting at 11 a.m.

In view of this the Company’s representatives declined to continue the formal meeting until the members of the union had returned to work.

At about 11.45 a.m. work began again, and because of the opening ceremony the Company suggested a resumption of the meeting in the early afternoon.

Official Reception

The union’s acting general secretary told the Company at 12.35 (at the official reception) that unless there was a “gesture” — the concession of one or both of its demands — then work would stop again at 12.45 p.m.. just as the official ceremony was due to start.

The Company could only repeat its insistance [sic] on the need for constitutional procedures in matters of dispute.

Promptly, at 12.45, some members of the ACTT stopped work and during the afternoon some more members at other places of work followed them out.

Members of other unions continued working normally, and apart from the loss of “Emergency — Ward 10”, ATV maintained its full service to the public.

Successful Opening

Early Friday evening, an informal meeting with union representatives was held at which members of the shop committee stated that they would NOT use constitutional procedures in this matter.

The Company’s representatives could only reply that they were willing to hold themselves in readiness for negotiations as soon as the strike was called off. The union’s acting general secretary did not attend this meeting.

Later the same evening members of management met to ensure that ATV’s service to the public would continue. The Company also issued an assurance of its support both now and in the future for those employees in ACTT grades who remained loyal to the Company.

Talks Resumed

By Saturday morning the Management had perfected its plans to continue transmitting its programmes without a break until the morning of Sunday, April 9th, when the strikers resumed work. In the meantime, the Company had publicly announced that “Sunday Night at the London Palladium”wouldgo out as advertised. No further meetings took place until 4.15 p.m. when, at the request of the union, the informal talks were resumed.

These continued until about 10.15 p.m. Afterwards the following joint press statement was issued:

“As a result of informal talks between ATV and ACTT the members now on strike within the Company will resume work tomorrow, when official talks will take place immediately.

“There will be an early meeting next week seeking to resolve outstanding problems. The union and the Company both dissociate themselves from statements which have implied a lack of good faith between us. Both parties look to a more constructive relationship in the future.”

Throughout this Saturday evening the Company was heartened to know that all the other programme contractors supported ATV and transmitted its programmes except ABC Television which decided to put out its own re-arranged programming.

Normal Lines

Since the end of the stoppage, negotiations with the ACTT have proceeded on normal lines. On the morning of Sunday April 9, an agreement was reached for an independent inquirer to determine the grades of the two people about which the Company had earlier been accused of failing to honour its agreement.

Other decisions included a no-victimisation clause to be applied on both sides, and an insistence on talks with the union designed to improve local negotiating procedure within the framework of the national agreement.

Subsequently ATV put forward the names of three leading trade union officials to act as inquirers. One of these was free to conduct the independent inquiry and this gentleman was accepted by ACTT. The inquiry resulted in a finding that neither upgrading demanded by the union should take place immediately but should be deferred in each case.

These are the facts and I want every member of the staff to be aware of them.

I also want to take the opportunity of thanking, on behalf of ATV, those loyal employees who did not break their agreements but helped the Company to maintain its television service to the public.

VAL PARNELL
Managing Director