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'My brother's keeper', 1972

Beginning with an extract from a speech by Tony Benn on the right of the trade union movement to make television programmes of its own, this film on the work of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) in and around Bristol was produced by HTV in conjunction with the TGWU south-west region. Its title is one of the phrases used by a contributor to sum up the values of trade unionism.

It features workers in the docks, the Rolls Royce testing plant and a road haulage company, the work of the Industrial Therapy Organization in rehabilitating the mentally ill, women workers at Fry’s chocolate factory, and applicants for accident compensation. The workers’ discussions among themselves and with management have something of the ‘fly on the wall’ style of which there have been many examples since.

Donated by Ron Nethercott, former TGWU south-west regional secretary and the writer and narrator of this film [744/5].