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Jargon Buster

ABS

Association of Broadcasting Staff, the organisation which represented BBC staff prior to its merger with NATTKE to form BETA.

ABTT

Association of British Theatre Technicians

ACTT

Association of Cinema and Television Technicians, which merged with BETA in 1990 to form BECTU.

A & E

Arts and Entertainment Division

ATG

Ambassadors Theatre Group

BBC

British Broadcasting Corporation

BECTU

The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union

BETA

Broadcasting and Entertainment Trades Alliance, which merged with the ACTT in 1990 to form BECTU.

BIS

Department for Business Innovation, Innovation and Skills (government department responsible for driving the economy forward by promoting business, enterprise and education).

BNP

British National Party

CEA

Cinema Exhibitors Association

collective bargaining

The process by which the union negotiates on issues affecting groups of members; for collective bargaining rights to exist the union needs to be recognised by the employer to carry out this function.

Crewbus

Directory of freelance members of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union

ENO

The English National Opera.

ERBS

Electoral Reform Ballot Services, independent scrutineers for statutory ballots or ballots conducted in accordance with union rules.

FAA

Film Artistes Association, a sub-division of BECTU which looks after the interests of background artistes.

FEU

The Federation of Entertainment Unions, an umbrella grouping of the seven trade unions operating in the cultural sectors.

FT2

Film and Television Training, the much respected training organisation which provides structured, craft specific and long-form training for new entrants.

FTC

A fixed term contract is a short-term employee engagement.

GFTU

General Federation of Trade Unions, a national organisation, focussed on reps training, to which BECTU is affiliated.

HMRC

Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs

IFNC

Independently Financed News Consortia, a framework being developed by industry regulator, OFCOM, and the government to sustain commercial news production in the UK's nations and regions.

IP

Intellectual property

JCI

Johnson Controls International, facilities management contractor responsible for the operation of BBC buildings in London and Scotland.

JIGS

Joint Industry Grading Scheme, responsible for the grading of special effects technicians, stunt performers and co-ordinators and riggers and scaffolders.

Lorimer letter

Schedule D status granted to specific individuals who would otherwise be treated as employees. As a result they are entitled to be paid gross.

NATTKE

The National Association of Theatrical Television and Kine Employees merged with the ABS to form BETA. NATTKE traces its history back to 1890.

NEC

National Executive Committee

NT

The Royal National Theatre.

OFT

Office of Fair Trading

PAYE

Pay As You Earn - established system for the payment of tax through an employer's payroll.

ROH

The Royal Opera House, home to the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet companies.

RSC

The Royal Shakespeare Company.

SFS

Special Fixed Salary, a buy-out contract, used by the BBC.

SOLT

Society of London Theatre, the employer's association for commercial theatres in London.

STV

Scottish Television, operator of two television licences in Scotland.

TMA

Theatrical Management Association, the employer's association for middle and large-scale theatre venues across the UK.

TOIL

Acronym standing for time off in lieu (in lieu means in place of) Typically, TOIL is used to grant additional time off in place of payment for additional hours worked.

UKFC

UK Film Council

UNI-MEI

The Media Entertainment and Arts section of the global union UNI. Works with over 140 unions and guilds and 250,000 workers worldwide. BECTU is affiliated.

Unionlearn

'Unionlearn' is the learning section of the TUC and covers vocational training, adult learning and union reps education

Vocational training

The term 'vocational training' describes work-related education and training (as opposed to academic learning or personal interest learning)

WTR

Working Time Regulations, first passed in 1998 following a European Community Directive.