Category Archives: Bectu Agreements

Bectu guide to DGA rules covering 1st ADs working on US productions in the UK

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Paul Evans

If a production wishes to engage a UK-based 1st AD, Bectu can issue a waiver letter that releases the production from the contractual obligation to engage a DGA 1st AD. The DGA recognises Bectu as the appropriate regulatory agency under … Continue reading →

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“Fewer opportunities” and “less attention to merit” – Apple’s anti-union playbook

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Paul Evans

A leaked talking-points memo from Apple shows how the use of FUD (Fear Uncertainty and Doubt) reminds us that employers rarely present themselves being as anti-union in principle.

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Bectu ‘Live to Work’ campaign launched

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Paul Evans

Bectu has launched the Live to Work campaign aimed at improving terms and conditions in the UK TV drama industry. You can visit the campaign page here and join the network (open to members and non-members), download images to use … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Film & TV industry policy, Freelance working, High End TV data, Long hours, Safe working practices, Safe working standards, TV Drama Agreement, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

ADs guide for working with Background Artists / Supporting Artists / Doubles / Stand-Ins.

Posted on April 20, 2022 by Paul Evans

My colleague Emily Collin has been working with the POP agency platform to support Assistant Directors and productions understand the new FAA-Pact Agreement and best practice when working with Background Artists/Supporting Artists/Doubles/Stand-Ins. There’s a video here, along with a one-page … Continue reading →

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Bectu / UK Theatre code of conduct for “Get-ins, Fit-ups & Get-outs”

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Paul Evans

Doug McGill has forwarded this to me. From the Preface: “The original Code of Conduct for Get-ins, Fit-ups and Get-outs was created as a result of a serious accident during the unloading of stage flooring on the back of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Equipment and kit, Freelance working, Safe working practices, Safe working standards, The working environment | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Bectu’s Script Registration Scheme – what it is and how it works

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Paul Evans

Some years ago, Bectu established a Script Registration Scheme to provide some protections that are not available because of a gap in the concept of Copyright. The scheme offers some protection to someone who has come up with a concept … Continue reading →

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Working terms in Swedish productions

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Paul Evans

It’s always worth looking at how other countries do work hours in the film and TV industry, and it is a commonplace view that the Swedish drama sector manages a high quality of production on working hours that also give … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Employment Law and Rights, EU & Brexit, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Health & Safety, High End TV data, Long hours, Major Motion Picture Agreement, Productivity, SVoD, Tax incentives, Trades Unions, TV Drama Agreement, Work-life balance | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Respect Charter for Supporting Artists

Posted on November 22, 2021 by Paul Evans

In my relatively new roles as Freelance Research Officer, going through the archives, I keep being reminded of things that the union has done in the past that are worth remembering and revisiting. For example, there are lots of branch … Continue reading →

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Updated version of theatre ’10 Principles’ supported by Bectu

Posted on November 1, 2021 by Paul Evans

Today, with Bectu’s support, SOLT and UK Theatre have released an updated version of their 10 Principles for creating safe and inclusive working spaces in the theatre industry, to help tackle bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Bectu have joined a number … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Bullying and Harassment, Equality, Health & Safety, Mental Health, Safe working standards, Sexual harassment, Theatre and Live Events data, Wellbeing, Work-life balance, Workplace conflict | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Eva Wiseman in The Observer

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Paul Evans

I thought I’d posted this earlier in the week but it seems I missed it. There’s a very good round-up of the many issues facing people working in film and TV from Eva Wiseman in The Observer. It draws heavily upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Bullying and Harassment, Equality, Freelance working, Health & Safety, Long hours, Major Motion Picture Agreement, Management, Mental Health, Safe working practices, Trades Unions, TV Drama Agreement, Wellbeing, Work-life balance, Workplace conflict | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Global survey highlights long-hours work problem

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Paul Evans

A long-planned piece of joint-campaigning with Uni-Mei (the global federation of unions that BECTU is a member of, alongside IATSE and many others) on long-hours working has happened at a very fortuitous time. Read more about the joint research that … Continue reading →

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Highway Code updated – new penalties for being too tired to drive

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Paul Evans

Every UK driver could face ‘unlimited fines’ under new sleeping law. (Manchester Evening News) This should be of interest to all Bectu members working in production, as well as being useful evidence in support of the campaign we are running … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Long hours, Major Motion Picture Agreement, Safe working practices, Trades Unions, TV Drama Agreement, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Workers reject the idea of a four-day week on lower pay

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Paul Evans

A new report from The Social Market Foundation (SMF) entitled A question of time [PDF] explores the question of the four day week. The key findings (from the exec summary) are that… Most workers – 80% – would not favour … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Long hours, Major Motion Picture Agreement, Management, Pay & inflation, Productivity, TV Drama Agreement, Wages and Pay-rates, Workplace conflict | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Unenforceable employment rights in film & TV

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Paul Evans

TUC have authored a guide to enforcing workplace rights here (it’s an MS Word doc that downloads instantly). There are two obvious ones in film & TV that we’d like to be considered in any updates. The 11-hour break between … Continue reading →

Posted in Bectu Agreements, Employment Contracts, Employment Law and Rights, Film & TV industry policy, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Gig economy workers, Long hours, Safe working practices | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Rates and terms on ‘Workshop Hours’

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Paul Evans

Bectu’s SFX Branch ratecard [pdf] is worth a close look for anyone who is interested in the issue of ‘Workshop Hours’. A bit of backstory first. In Bectu’s view, our agreements should have at least two different time-matrixes:

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