All Granada employees were obliged to join the appropriate trade union that negotiated on their behalf. The largest union was the The Association of Cinematograph Television and Allied Technicians (ACTT) which represented producers, directors, researchers, production assistants, camera operators, sound, film and VTR editors plus others. One of the principal members during the 1980s was Bruce Anderson who was not only shop steward but went on to become national president of the union. Another strong union was the Electrical Trades Union (ETU). Journalists were members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) while actors were represented by Equity. The National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees (NATKE) was another strong union as well, representing many technicians.
The television industry was riddled with industrial relations problems and rules, many of which in hindsight, now seem puzzling.
Granada even produced its own television programme focusing on trade unions, Union World, which was transmitted on Channel 4 after a successful pilot series had been transmitted in the Granada region. The programme was loathed by the then Thatcher Government who continually complained about its lack of balance.
