Category Archives: Coronavirus

Flexible working, and work-from-home update

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Paul Evans

The question of flexible and ‘WFH’ employment has become a vexed one in recent years. Anecdotal claims about how WFH damages work-life balance with people voluntariliy working longer hours have been quite widespread (along with other downsides). Other surveys have … Continue reading →

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HSE annual statistical report

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Paul Evans

The TUC have forwarded the annual statistical report [pdf] from the The Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The standout figures that they (the TUC) have highlighted are… The rate of work-related illness is up overall, an all-time high – 1.8 … Continue reading →

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BFC Working Safety During CoViD-19 Guidance

Posted on May 16, 2022 by Paul Evans

Here is the latest version of the British Film Commission guidance on this issue [pdf] (posted without comment).

Posted in Coronavirus, Coronavirus, Feature film data, Health & Safety, High End TV data, Low budget features, Safe working practices, Safe working standards | Tagged | Leave a comment

Update: CoViD health and safety guidance – links

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Paul Evans

Here are some use useful links that include the latest guidance. UK Government Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace – Guidance covering a range of settings, including what can be done to keep others safe. … Continue reading →

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Personal Protective Equipment should always be provided by engagers when needed – even for freelancers of all kinds

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Paul Evans

We have contacted HSE for confirmation that PPE should always be provided by engagers and the fact that a worker is not a direct employee is no defence. For full details of this guidance, see here.

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Changes to Statutory Sick Pay and Employment and Support Allowance (CoViD)

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Paul Evans

On Monday, the Prime Minister announced an end to day-one access to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), effective from the 1st April 2022. After that point, workers suffering from CoViD-related illness will have to wait until their fourth day of illness … Continue reading →

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Looking Glass ’21 report

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Paul Evans

The Film and TV Charity have published their Looking Glass ’21 report. This is a follow-up from their research in 2019 into working conditions in the film and TV industry, and how these impact workers based on responses from more … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus, Film & TV industry data, Freelance working, Health & Safety, Long hours, Management, Mental Health, Skills & capacity, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

UK Screen issues new guidance following UK government’s ‘Plan B’ announcement

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Paul Evans

Update – 5th Jan 2022 – the info on the links below has been updated again. Following tonight’s ‘Plan B’ announcement on CoViD working, my colleague at Bectu, Spencer MacDonald has had this email from Neil Hatton of UK Screen … Continue reading →

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Bectu engagement with external Health & Safety structures

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Paul Evans

Our Health and Safety Committee has been inactive since the start of the pandemic (though this will change shortly) and Prospect have their NEC Health and Safety committee that continues under the stout stewardship of Chris Warburton. In the meantime, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bullying and Harassment, Coronavirus, EU & Brexit, Film & TV industry data, Health & Safety, Long hours, Management, Mental Health, Occupational Health, Remote working, Safe working practices, Safe working standards, The working environment, Theatre and Live Events data, Trades Unions, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Busy industry = unsafe industry?

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Paul Evans

An Australian study has revealed that economic growth following a period of recession has an impact on workplace injuries. This is particularly interesting in two respects for us at Bectu. The issue of skills fade in theatre and live events … Continue reading →

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General sense of wellbeing fell during the pandemic

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Paul Evans

The latest in a type of report that is best filed under “probably interesting in the long run, but hopelessly distorted by the pandemic” is the latest report from the ONS on levels of wellbeing and happiness in the UK … Continue reading →

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Updated guidance on Covid travel restrictions in England

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Paul Evans

The UK Screen Alliance has, with Bectu feedback, been publishing guidance for safe working in post-production & VFX during the Covid 19 pandemic. This guidance has been updated to reflect today’s simplification of international travel restrictions in England which has … Continue reading →

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Women more likely to leave the Theatre sector post-pandemic

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Paul Evans

A survey [pdf], earlier this year, by Parents and Carers in the Performing Arts (PIPA) highlights a survey it did of members, which showed that 43% of parents or carers were considering abandoning their career because of the pandemic. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus, Disability equality, Equality, Family rights, Gender equality, Theatre and Live Events data, Wellbeing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Locked Down and Locked Out – impact of Covid pandemic on mothers working in UK TV sector

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Paul Evans

49% of respondents said they had been unable to accept work due to childcare related issues. Read the #LockedDownAndLockedOut report now on the impact of the pandemic on mothers in UK TV: https://t.co/37JAX9Djjz pic.twitter.com/JYKKUwZdK4 — Bectu (@bectu) September 9, 2021 … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus, Coronavirus, Equality, Film & TV industry policy, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Gender equality, Health & Safety, Long hours, Management, Mental Health, Remote working, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mental health and Covid19

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Paul Evans

There are many barometers of mental health that can be correlated with what is happening in the wider world, so it would not be appropriate to conclude that “the lockdown has generally, on balance, been good for the mental health … Continue reading →

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Vaccine passport = pickup in vaccination (in France anyway)

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Paul Evans

Regardless of one's opinion on the French 'health pass', there's one thing everyone will have to agree on: the effect on vaccination coverage in the country has been absolutely striking. pic.twitter.com/yq3Q8vRsIW — Edouard Mathieu (@redouad) August 30, 2021  

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Covid and live events – lockdowns may not be over yet

Posted on August 25, 2021 by Paul Evans

… and in direct contradiction of the previous post here, the live events industry was very pleased to hear that Spanish studies had shown that live events could happen without a significantly increased risk of Covid transmission, but times may … Continue reading →

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Freelancers’ right to covid-protective clothing

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Paul Evans

I’m sharing, word-for-word, an email I’ve received from the TUC. I’m posting it here in case any members who are freelancers, have been asked to provide their own PPE, and have felt that – as a result – they have … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus, Coronavirus, Employment Law and Rights, Employment status, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Gig economy workers | Tagged | Leave a comment

Self employed landscape ‘diminished’

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Paul Evans

IPSE research at the end of 2020 showed that there had been the first significant drop-off in self-employment in a decade with the number of solo self-employed in the UK falling by 5% compared to the previous year. Previously, this … Continue reading →

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Mandatory vaccinations for film & TV workers?

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Paul Evans

Incoming: from Deadline: “Mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations on film and TV productions now will be allowed, on a restricted basis, under a new agreement reached Monday between Hollywood’s unions and the major companies. The new protocols, they said in a joint … Continue reading →

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Pingdemic: Bar staff being told to delete NHS Covid-19 app

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Paul Evans

Via the BBC website.

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French ‘health pass’ update

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Paul Evans

The FT are reporting [£] that France has established a ‘health pass’ scheme to restrict access to public places (restaurants, bars, etc). The fines are less draconian than were originally proposed and the timetable has been loosened a bit, but … Continue reading →

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British content projecting Britain

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Paul Evans

I’ll be posting more on this in the coming weeks, but there are some very big concerns circulating even in Conservative circles about the potential damage that the UK could sustain due to changes in the film and TV industry. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation & VFX, BBC, Coronavirus, Coronavirus, Culture policy, EU & Brexit, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax incentives, The Conservative Party, UK studios | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

TUC webinar on safe working restrictions

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Paul Evans

The TUC are encouraging people to sign up for their national webinar on the 28th July, which is focused on organising to keep work safe as restrictions end. The government has said social distancing and face coverings are no longer … Continue reading →

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Doctors overwhelmingly call for continual face-mask wearing

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Paul Evans

From the BMA website: “Thousands of doctors in the UK say they want to see face coverings remain mandatory, with 90% of those taking part in a survey telling the BMA that masks should continue to be worn on public … Continue reading →

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Covid safety guidelines

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Paul Evans

The latest guidelines have been published by the government – here. The TUC aren’t impressed – their press release is here:

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Raising Films

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Paul Evans

Raising Films is an organisation with a mission to support, promote and campaign for parents and carers in the UK screen sector. It calls on the UK screen sector to recognise the value of its parent and carer members and … Continue reading →

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Masks and R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Paul Evans

Claire Lawrence with a good post on the importance of respect when the legal underpinning for mask-wearing has gone. “In the UK, from 19th July, most of the laws requiring mask use and social distancing will be removed and so … Continue reading →

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Mandatory vaccination

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Paul Evans

Useful summary of both sides to the argument here,

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TUC report on Long Covid

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Paul Evans

The TUC has published a report on workers’ experiences of Long Covid – here. “Almost three in 10 respondents (29%) had been experiencing long Covid symptoms for 12 months or more. This length of time is significant because in order … Continue reading →

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HSE “review” of its Enforcement Management Model

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Paul Evans

The HSE has conducted a “review” of its Enforcement Management Model in relation to Covid-19, following pressure from HSE Board members, the TUC, and unions. Particularly, there was concern over the categorisation of Covid as ‘significant’ rather than ‘serious’; and … Continue reading →

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Long-Covid – teachers union calls for it to be treated as a disability under the Equality Act 2010

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Paul Evans

More than one million people in the UK are now living with Long Covid, with teachers and education support staff the second most likely profession to be affected, only just behind healthcare workers. The debilitating condition includes symptoms of the … Continue reading →

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Employers forcing workers back to the workplace – unions raise safety concerns

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Paul Evans

New TUC polling reveals that nearly 1 in 10 (9%) staff have been put under pressure by bosses to return to the workplace – a number that rises to over 1 in 6 (17 %) for disabled workers. This is … Continue reading →

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Film & TV Production Restart Scheme (Covid)

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Paul Evans

There is a Film & TV Production Restart Scheme that is designed to cover some of the Covid-related risks to productions including crew-related costs and other costs resulting from actions of the civil authorities (i.e. lockdowns etc). This Scheme has … Continue reading →

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Return to the office working

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Paul Evans

There really is going to be a row about this… everywhere. Don’t make me go back to hard pants five days a week https://t.co/yMIIiIbojr | opinion — Financial Times (@FT) June 6, 2021 White collar workers are much more able … Continue reading →

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