Channel Television during the 1979 ITV Strike

I really don’t understand a lot of that article. I am not aware of any strikes or disputes that would have taken LWT off the air post 1985. The article is correct saying that on a particular day staff entering the building were deemed to have accepted new terms of employment which were certainly inferior to those on the day before. All this ‘muscle’ talk from GD, in the end he introduced an astonishingly generous redundancy scheme and very many staff couldn’t wait to leave. This redundancy scheme outlived GD was was available to all LWT staff up until the current day - some took advantage of it as way of leaving relatively recently.

Dyke was aware that as the new franchise round approached LWT as the incumbent had to shape up quickly. The relatively low £8 million (or thereabouts) that they bid to keep their licence would have been a lot higher if the trade union wage demands hadn't been reduced.

By cutting manning levels (and therefore costs) LWT was able to bid high enough to make the bid respectable and low enough for them to continue making programmes.

The article states “Marked the end of a union battle at LWT”. What battle? What union wage demands? No one on the shop floor believed any plans about broadcasting from Holland despite what GD may have you believe. He does like to romanticise history.

Reminds me of a story within the ITV50 book from 2005 (based on the Melvyn Bragg series) where Greg Dyke was explaining ITV’s relationships with the unions. One example he said in the book (but not on the TV show) was a drama series that LWT were making in 1987. However during production there were union troubles and threats of strikes. Due to the disruption that was caused by the unions, LWT instead cancelled the series outright before it was completed. GD stated it was the only year he ever got a Christmas card from Mrs Thatcher.

I believe it was supposed to star Twiggy

“Betty”. Was supposed to be a co-production with an independent, but not due to be made by LWT at Kent House. Shepperton I think.

A strange irony considering that they were new ITV companies, although they had inherited the staff and facilities of their predecessors.

TVS were definitely shooting on film in 1985.

No irony at all, in both cases all the staff, agreements and conditions were TUPE’d over I think ?

Did it happen in 1992? I know Meridian used TVS's studios, I don't know if they kept the staff though. I think it was all change from TSW to westcountry though, and Thames to Carlton.

I know it happened in 1968, it was LWT taking over Reduffusion staff, who now had to work on weekends, which caused the strike.

I’m fairly sure TVS to Meridian was a full redundancy / re hire situation ?

Didn't the IBA insist on the transfer of staff within ITV, so that franchise changes shouldn't lead to job losses? 1992 was different, the IBA was gone and the companies themselves became the broadcasters. Since then EU rules on TUPE have become established, but weren't in 1992.

I read somewhere as well that staff transferred over, in 1982, basically for them, it was a change of management. But, I think it was more an agreement with the unions, the closed shop as it were, as opposed to the IBA insisting. By 1992, legislation had changed, and closed shops were illegal. That was another important difference, although the seeds had been sowed with the TV-am lockout in 1987/8.

Given the somewhat limited hours CTV operated during the 1979 ITV dispute, would I be right in thinking that a lot of the technical staff at CTV would not have normally worked during the daytime, hence the late start, even with the problems of trying to fill schedules?