The International Secretariat of Entertainment Trade Unions (ISETU) was a global union federation bringing together trade unions representing workers in the arts, media and entertainment industries.
The secretariat was established in 1965, on the initiative of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. It absorbed the International Congress of Broadcasting Unions, and adopted two existing bodies, the European Union of Film and Television Workers, and the Inter-American Federation of Entertainment Workers, as regional bodies.[1]
The first general secretary, Alan Forrest, believed that the funding for the new organisation came from the American government, and was intended to provide a less radical alternative to the International Federation of Actors (FIA) and International Federation of Musicians (FIM). These allegations were never proven, but influenced the perception of the organisation among many trade unionists, and it did not attract affiliations from any unions which held membership of the FIA or FIM.[2][3]
ISETU was initially based in Brussels, but later moved its headquarters to London, and then on to Vienna, and finally Geneva. In 1984, it affiliated to the International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees (FIET) and became known as the International Secretariat for Arts, Mass Media and Entertainment Trade Unions (ISETU-FIET), but retained a high level of autonomy.[2]
At the start of 1992, the federation left FIET, and instead established the International Committee of Entertainment and Media Unions with the FIA, FIM, International Federation of Audio Visual Workers (FISTAV) and the International Federation of Journalists, the International Graphical Federation soon also joining. Relationships with FISTAV were particularly strong, and in 1993, the two secretariats merged, forming what became known as the Media and Entertainment International.[2]
In 1979, the following unions were affiliated to the federation:[1]
| Union | Country |
|---|---|
| Sociedad Argentina de Locutores | Argentina |
| Syndicato Unico Trabajadores Espectaculo Publico de la Republic Argentina | Argentina |
| Australian Theatrical and Amusement Workers' Association | Australia |
| Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association | Australia |
| Professional Musicians' Union of Australia | Australia |
| Union of Artists, Media Workers and Freelance Workers | Austria |
| Bahamas Musicians' and Entertainers' Union | Bahamas |
| Comité National des Travailleurs du Film et de la Télévision | Belgium |
| Centrale Générale des Services Publics | Belgium |
| Federacion Sindical de Trabajadores en Radiodifusion de Bolivia | Bolivia |
| Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Radio | Colombia |
| Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation Staff Society | Cyprus |
| Sindicato General de Trabajadores de Radio y Televisión de la Provincia del Guyayas | Ecuador |
| Syndicat Français du Cinéma de la Radio et la Télévision | France |
| Fédération Syndicaliste des Spectacles | France |
| Fédération Nationale de l'Education Spectacles | France |
| Gewerkschaft öffentliche Dienst | West Germany |
| Rundfund - Fernseh - Film - Union | West Germany |
| Internationale Artistenloge | West Germany |
| Genossenschaft Deutscher Buehnenangehoeriger | West Germany |
| Association of Broadcasting Staff | United Kingdom |
| National Association of Theatrical, Television and Ciné Employees | United Kingdom |
| Indian Motion Picture Employees' Union | India |
| Irish Transport and General Workers' Union | Ireland |
| National Union of Ciné and Television Technicians | Israel |
| Federazione Unitaria Lavoratori della Spettacolo | Italy |
| Unione Nazionale Autori e Cinetecnici | Italy |
| Unione Italiana Lavoratori dello Spettacolo | Italy |
| Nichionro | Japan |
| Musicians' Labour Union | Japan |
| Kenya National Union of Musicians | Kenya |
| Mauritius National Labour Film Institute Acting Board | Mauritius |
| Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Radiofusion Television | Mexico |
| Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria Cinematorgrafica | Mexico |
| Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Musica de la Republic Mexicana | Mexico |
| Algemene Nederlandse Organisatie van Uitvoevende Kunstenaars | Netherlands |
| Algemene Bond Mercurius | Netherlands |
| New Zealand Musicians' Union | New Zealand |
| Association of Nigerian Musicians | Nigeria |
| Association of Radio and TV Journalists of Nigeria | Nigeria |
| Associación de Locutores y Operadores de Radio y Televisión del Paraguay | Paraguay |
| Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Especializados de la Industria de Radio y Television del Peru | Peru |
| Sociedad Peruana de Actores | Peru |
| Philippine Musicians' Guild | Philippines |
| Musicians' Union of Singapore | Singapore |
| Svenska Industritjanstemannaforbundet | Sweden |
| Association des Employés de la Télévision Suisse | Switzerland |
| Screen Actors' Guild | United States |
| American Federation of Television and Radio Artists | United States |
| American Guild of Musical Artists | United States |
| International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators | United States |
| International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | United States |
| American Federation of Musicians | United States |
| Associacion Musical del Distrito Federal y Estado Miranda | Venezuela |
