The
US film union IATSE has proposed forming a joint committee with its UK
counterpart Bectu.
Tom
Short, the international president of IATSE, made the suggestion while
addressing Bectu’s annual conference at the Manchester Conference Centre
yesterday.
He
described the growth of global multinational media corporations as a threat to
employment, pay and production in the western audiovisual industry.
He
said: "I’m certain for all our benefits as working people that if it’s
good for multinational corporations to consolidate, then it would be in the
best interests for us to consider attempting to set up a committee. I am prepared to explore the feasibility of
working more closely together so we can level the playing field with the
multinational corporations."
Bectu
General Secretary, Roger Bolton commented afterwards: "We welcome this proposal from our friends in North America
and we will be working in the next few days to take forward this important
initiative."
The
long term implication of this groundbreaking initiative could be to create
international standards on pay and conditions.
