HeartUnions blog: From theatre worker to rep to organiser
This HeartUnions week we’re hearing from a range of voices across our union on why they love being a part of Bectu. Today we are talking to Yann Allsop, one of our organisers, about his Bectu journey, from working in theatres to becoming a Bectu rep and now working for the union as a full-time organiser in our London Production Division. Yann tells us why he initially joined Bectu and what he has learnt about the importance of union membership along the way.
Why did you join Bectu?
I hadn’t been in the job long at a large West End theatre when I first encountered Bectu. Conditions and pay were good. I soon learned that this was because the union had a long-standing recognition agreement with the theatre (so collective agreements, pay negotiations and full-time reps), down to having a big union membership, as well as committed union representatives there. In the handover period to a new Chief Exec, some staff at the theatre were making moves to cut ties with Bectu and a union meeting was called.
Tell us about your journey from Bectu rep to organiser?
Ten years after joining Bectu, with many more meetings under my belt as a rep, I left the theatre and wanted to continue fighting for members. I’m now a full-time Organising Official for Bectu, working in the London Production Division (LPD). In LPD we predominantly organise freelancers working in Film and TV. Bectu is great at supporting and rallying freelancers,
What advice do you have for people thinking of joining the union?
Bectu is you – there’s no union without you in it. Bectu is when freelancers get active to change things. Because of your membership, Bectu has the resources and infrastructure to help you do that. As an Organising Official my job is to support you in building and developing better branches so you can speak up together and campaign for better terms, conditions and pay.
A union can be there when you need it, with support and advice on everything from bullying, monies owed, wellbeing, training, and Public Liability Insurance. You deserve to be treated fairly and with respect; unions are essential in protecting your rights and having your back But a union is only as strong as its active members. Being a rep – knowing your area of work and being able to speak on behalf of the members in your branch – is vital. Having members who pitch in is important too – from recruiting new members, to completing surveys and attending meetings. In the past I’ve heard people compare union membership to their Netflix subscription: if you’ve exhausted what you want to watch then you cancel for a month or two right? Being in a union is different. If there’s something you want to change, then get involved and change it.
Why should people in the creative industries join Bectu this HeartUnions week?
The Bectu sector means that Prospect is the UK union for the creative industries. If you’re in film and TV, live events, theatre, at the BBC, or in broadcasting, this is the union for you. Once you’ve joined Bectu, find out who your Branch Reps or Branch Officials are. Email them and find out how you can get more involved.
Together you can keep making your work better. The first step is to join.