Association of Broadcasting Staff
Encyclopedia
The Association of Broadcasting and Allied Staffs was a British
broadcasting
trade union
.
The organisation was founded in 1945 with the merger of the BBC Staff (Wartime) Association and the Association of BBC Engineers to form the BBC Staff Association. It was regarded as a non-political organisation for employees of the BBC
, but despite challenges from various trade unions, it remained the primary association of BBC employees. In 1946, Leslie Littlewood was elected General Secretary, a post he was to hold until 1968.
With the creation of ITV
, the association aimed to expand its remit to cover the new broadcaster, and accordingly renamed itself the Association of Broadcasting Staff (ABS) in 1956. This was unsuccessful, but the ABS was recognised by the Independent Television Authority
.
In 1963, the ABS finally affiliated to the Trades Union Congress
(TUC), and was able to normalise its relations with other TUC members. It was renamed the Association of Broadcasting and Allied Staffs in 1974.
In 1972, Tony Hearn
became General Secretary, and under his leadership, the union began negotiations with the National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees. The two unions finally merged in 1984 to form the Broadcasting and Entertainment Trades Alliance
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
.
The organisation was founded in 1945 with the merger of the BBC Staff (Wartime) Association and the Association of BBC Engineers to form the BBC Staff Association. It was regarded as a non-political organisation for employees of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, but despite challenges from various trade unions, it remained the primary association of BBC employees. In 1946, Leslie Littlewood was elected General Secretary, a post he was to hold until 1968.
With the creation of ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, the association aimed to expand its remit to cover the new broadcaster, and accordingly renamed itself the Association of Broadcasting Staff (ABS) in 1956. This was unsuccessful, but the ABS was recognised by the Independent Television Authority
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
.
In 1963, the ABS finally affiliated to the Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
(TUC), and was able to normalise its relations with other TUC members. It was renamed the Association of Broadcasting and Allied Staffs in 1974.
In 1972, Tony Hearn
Tony Hearn
Tony Hearn was a British trade unionist.Hearn began working for the Association of Broadcasting Staff as Assistant to the General Secretary, Leslie Littlewood in the 1960s. He then moved up through the ranks, becoming one of the Assistant General Secretaries, and eventually General Secretary in...
became General Secretary, and under his leadership, the union began negotiations with the National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees. The two unions finally merged in 1984 to form the Broadcasting and Entertainment Trades Alliance
Broadcasting and Entertainment Trades Alliance
The Broadcasting and Entertainment Trades Alliance was a short-lived British entertainment trade union. It was founded in 1984 with the merger of the Association of Broadcasting Staff and the National Association of Theatrical Television and Kine Employees.The union appointed two General...
.