The Association of Broadcasting and Allied Staffs (ABS) was a British

broadcasting Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

. 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 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

, 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.

Asa Briggs Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs (7 May 1921 – 15 March 2016) was an English historian. He was a leading specialist on the Victorian era, and the foremost historian of broadcasting in Britain. Briggs achieved international recognition during his lon ...

, ''The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom: Volume IV: Sound and Vision'', pp.124-125 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 The Independent Television Authority (ITA) was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 ( 2 & 3 Eliz. 2. c. 55) to supervise the creation of " Independent Television" (ITV), the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom. The ...

. In 1963, the ABS finally affiliated to the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union center, national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions that collectively represent most unionised workers in England and Wales. There are 48 affiliated unions with a total of ...

(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. As of 1982, the union had a membership of 15,510, and published a monthly journal, ''ABStract''.

General Secretaries

:1945: Tom Hobson :1946: Leslie Littlewood :1968: Tom Rhys :1972: Tony Hearn

References

External links

BECTU History: ABSCatalogue of the ABS archives
held at the

Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick The Modern Records Centre (MRC) is the specialist archive service of the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, located adjacent to the Central Campus Library. It was established in October 1973 and holds the world's largest archive collect ...

Catalogue of the ABS BBC archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick Broadcasting in the United Kingdom Communications and media organisations based in the United Kingdom Entertainment industry unions Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom 1945 establishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1945 Trade unions disestablished in 1984 Trade unions based in London {{UK-trade-union-stub