Association of Cinematograph Television and Allied Technicians
Encyclopedia
The Association of Cinematograph Television and Allied Technicians (ACTT) was a trade union
in the United Kingdom
.
The union was founded by technician
s at the Gaumont
British Studios in 1933 as the Association of Cinematograph Technicians (ACT). It elected George Elvin as its first General Secretary the following year, and in 1936 affiliated to the Trades Union Congress
.
ACT began organising film laboratory
workers, and in 1943 it affiliated to the Labour Party
. In 1955, it extended its coverage to represent technicians working on ITV
, and the following year incorporated "Television" into its name.
In the late 1950s, ACTT came into dispute with film directors John and Roy Boulting, and this may have partly inspired their film, I'm All Right Jack
. ACTT were highly critical of the film's negative portrayal of trade unionists.
In 1969, Elvin was replaced as General Secretary by Alan Sapper
.
The union repeatedly discussed potential mergers with the Association of Broadcasting Staff
(ABS), which represented the equivalent workers at the BBC
, but these foundered until in 1991 it finally merged with the Broadcasting and Entertainment Trades Alliance
, the successor to the ABS, to form the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre 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...
in the United Kingdom
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...
.
The union was founded by technician
Technician
A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skills and techniques, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Experienced technicians in a specific tool domain typically have intermediate understanding of theory and expert...
s at the Gaumont
Gaumont British
Gaumont-British Picture Corporation was the British arm of the French film company Gaumont. The company became independent of its French parent in 1922, when Isidore Ostrer acquired control of Gaumont-British....
British Studios in 1933 as the Association of Cinematograph Technicians (ACT). It elected George Elvin as its first General Secretary the following year, and in 1936 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...
.
ACT began organising film laboratory
Film laboratory
A film laboratory is a commercial service enterprise and technical facility for the film industry where specialists develop, print, and conform film material for classical film production and distribution which is based on film material, such as negative and positive, black and white and color, on...
workers, and in 1943 it affiliated to the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. In 1955, it extended its coverage to represent technicians working on 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...
, and the following year incorporated "Television" into its name.
In the late 1950s, ACTT came into dispute with film directors John and Roy Boulting, and this may have partly inspired their film, I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack is a 1959 British comedy film directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting from a script by Frank Harvey, John Boulting and Alan Hackney, based on the novel Private Life by Hackney...
. ACTT were highly critical of the film's negative portrayal of trade unionists.
In 1969, Elvin was replaced as General Secretary by Alan Sapper
Alan Sapper
Alan Sapper was a British trade unionist.Born in Hammersmith, Sapper studied at the Latymer Upper School, then worked as a botanist at Kew Gardens while studying with the University of London External Programme...
.
The union repeatedly discussed potential mergers with the Association of Broadcasting Staff
Association of Broadcasting Staff
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 Association and the Association of BBC Engineers to form the BBC Staff Association...
(ABS), which represented the equivalent workers at 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 these foundered until in 1991 it finally merged with 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...
, the successor to the ABS, to form the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union
Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union
The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom. It has around 26,500 members who work in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure and interactive media....
.