Exclusive: Ken Loach has been restored to a decision-making role at Bectu after his shock suspension last year, but a bitter internal row at the UK’s biggest film and TV union shows no sign of abating.
Deadline revealed in December that Loach, the esteemed BAFTA-winning British film director, was ousted from Bectu’s Writers, Producers & Directors (Wpd) branch committee after a 60-year association with the union. Two others were also suspended and six more members faced disciplinary measures.
An appeals board at Bectu’s parent union Prospect has now reversed the suspension, meaning Loach and others can be restored to committee roles. Loach told Deadline that he was relieved that “commonsense had prevailed” and the process had underlined the importance of transparency within trade unions.
Loach and his colleagues were disciplined over how the branch oversaw the resignation of a representative who wrote a letter raising questions about the leadership of Mike Clancy,...
Deadline revealed in December that Loach, the esteemed BAFTA-winning British film director, was ousted from Bectu’s Writers, Producers & Directors (Wpd) branch committee after a 60-year association with the union. Two others were also suspended and six more members faced disciplinary measures.
An appeals board at Bectu’s parent union Prospect has now reversed the suspension, meaning Loach and others can be restored to committee roles. Loach told Deadline that he was relieved that “commonsense had prevailed” and the process had underlined the importance of transparency within trade unions.
Loach and his colleagues were disciplined over how the branch oversaw the resignation of a representative who wrote a letter raising questions about the leadership of Mike Clancy,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Ken Loach, director and trade unionist of sixty years, has had his decision-making privileges as member of Bectu’s Writers, Producers & Directors branch committee revoked. More below:
There’s a headline we didn’t think we’d be writing today.
Ken Loach, the outspoken filmmaker best-known for social dramas such as Kes, The Wind That Shakes The Barley and this year’s The Old Oak, has been suspended from UK film and TV union Bectu over internal divisions with parent union, Prospect.
According to Deadline, Loach was suspended along with two other Bectu members, while another six were issued with disciplinary measures.
The group say they are being punished over a technicality surrounding the resignation of a representative from within the branch, who previously critiqued the leadership of Prospect chief Mike Clancy.
Prospect said the individuals involved broke union rules, and that there was evidence bullying and discrimination had taken place.
There’s a headline we didn’t think we’d be writing today.
Ken Loach, the outspoken filmmaker best-known for social dramas such as Kes, The Wind That Shakes The Barley and this year’s The Old Oak, has been suspended from UK film and TV union Bectu over internal divisions with parent union, Prospect.
According to Deadline, Loach was suspended along with two other Bectu members, while another six were issued with disciplinary measures.
The group say they are being punished over a technicality surrounding the resignation of a representative from within the branch, who previously critiqued the leadership of Prospect chief Mike Clancy.
Prospect said the individuals involved broke union rules, and that there was evidence bullying and discrimination had taken place.
- 12/22/2023
- by James Harvey
- Film Stories
Exclusive: British director Ken Loach has been suspended from holding a decision-making role at Bectu amid simmering internal tensions at the UK’s biggest film and TV union.
Loach, who has made films including Kes and The Wind That Shakes the Barley, has been ousted from Bectu’s Writers, Producers & Directors branch committee after a 60-year association with the union. Two others were also suspended and six more members faced disciplinary measures.
Those involved said they were punished because of a technicality over the way the branch oversaw the resignation of a representative, who wrote a letter raising questions about the leadership of Mike Clancy, the boss of Bectu’s parent union Prospect.
Prospect argued that the individuals concerned broke union rules and it said there was evidence of bullying and discrimination. Loach and others disciplined strongly denied bullying and discrimination and claimed that Prospect had not produced evidence to support its allegation.
Loach, who has made films including Kes and The Wind That Shakes the Barley, has been ousted from Bectu’s Writers, Producers & Directors branch committee after a 60-year association with the union. Two others were also suspended and six more members faced disciplinary measures.
Those involved said they were punished because of a technicality over the way the branch oversaw the resignation of a representative, who wrote a letter raising questions about the leadership of Mike Clancy, the boss of Bectu’s parent union Prospect.
Prospect argued that the individuals concerned broke union rules and it said there was evidence of bullying and discrimination. Loach and others disciplined strongly denied bullying and discrimination and claimed that Prospect had not produced evidence to support its allegation.
- 12/22/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
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