Search this site
Categories
- Bectu Agreements (15)
- Bullying and Harassment (25)
- Sexual harassment (12)
- Copyright & Intellectual Property (16)
- Personal data (4)
- Coronavirus (68)
- Culture policy (14)
- Economics (109)
- Employment (41)
- Environment & Sustainability (5)
- Housing costs (7)
- Inflation (34)
- Productivity (33)
- Employment Law and Rights (94)
- Employment Contracts (18)
- Employment intermediaries (14)
- Employment status (17)
- Family rights (10)
- Gig economy workers (33)
- Illness and disability (8)
- Migration & working abroad (7)
- Whistleblowing (4)
- Equality (71)
- Disability equality (14)
- Diversity of representation (20)
- Gender equality (19)
- Gender pay (11)
- Gender representation (17)
- Race equality (14)
- Wealth inequality (15)
- Equipment and kit (9)
- EU & Brexit (46)
- Film & TV industry data (106)
- Factual & Entertainment sector data (30)
- Feature film data (49)
- High End TV data (72)
- Low budget features (7)
- Skills & capacity (43)
- TV Advertising (4)
- Film & TV industry policy (148)
- Animation & VFX (3)
- BBC (32)
- Cinema exhibition (2)
- Copyright and piracy (1)
- Low budget productions (2)
- News programmes (1)
- Outside broadcast (2)
- Post-production (4)
- Public Service Broadcasting (63)
- Quotas (37)
- Regulation (48)
- Sports rights and broadcasting (2)
- SVoD (55)
- Tax incentives (33)
- UK studios (24)
- Freelance working (107)
- Freelancer rights (53)
- Personal Service Companies (20)
- Health & Safety (151)
- Child protection and safeguarding (3)
- Coronavirus (43)
- Hot weather working (2)
- Long hours (52)
- Mental Health (32)
- Occupational Health (3)
- Remote working (15)
- Safe working practices (45)
- Safe working standards (32)
- The working environment (8)
- Wellbeing (52)
- Work-life balance (43)
- Workplace conflict (25)
- Management (35)
- Organising Skills (19)
- Consultation skills (1)
- Game theory (3)
- Recruitment and organising (12)
- Ownership & Control (10)
- Pensions (19)
- Politics (12)
- Labour Party (5)
- The Conservative Party (4)
- Radio (1)
- Tax (71)
- ESM4118 (10)
- IR35 (42)
- Loan arrangements (3)
- National Insurance Contributions (NICs) (11)
- VAT (2)
- Theatre and Live Events data (38)
- Trades Unions (35)
- Uncategorized (7)
- Wages and Pay-rates (61)
- Low pay (40)
- Minimum wage rates (14)
- Pay & inflation (34)
- Welfare and benefits (33)
- CJRS & SEISS (9)
- Universal Credit (1)
- Workplaces (13)
Tags
- AMPTP
- Armoury
- Audiovisual Media Services
- Auto-enrolment
- BBC
- Bectu branch activity
- Bectu branch websites
- Brexit
- Channel 4
- Channel 4 privatisation
- Cinema/Theatrical release
- Coronavirus
- Cost of living
- CPI
- Cultural diversity
- Disability
- Disney
- Equity
- European Audiovisual Observatory
- Expenses
- Eyes Half Shut
- Flexible working
- France
- Holiday pay
- Hybrid working
- IATSE
- Inflation
- Investment Quotas
- IR35
- Long hours working
- Mandatory vaccination
- Netflix
- Ofcom
- Pensions
- Remote working
- RPI
- Self-employment
- SVOD
- The Freelance Deal
- Touring visas
- TUC
- UK Studio Watch
- Umbrella Companies
- Vaccination
- Working from home
-
Recent posts
- Why people risk insecure work
- Freelancers and the welfare system
- Sleep depravation and driving – blood test under development
- Film and TV drama healthcheck (plus a footnote about distribution ‘windows’ and cinemas).
- Meal expenses – update
- Bank Rate rises. Inflation rate stubborn.
- Flexible working, and work-from-home update
- Bectu Assistant Editors Toolkit published
- Improved guidance on managing health and safety and controlling risk
- Martyn’s Law
- Useful resources for working abroad
- The Broadcast Indie Survey 2023
- How to make flexible working work within the film and television industry
- TUC report on Long CoViD
- March Budget 2023 with added inflation catch-up.
- Unexpected rise in self-assessed tax receipts
- Four day week trial
- Theatre audience behaviour research
- ‘Don’t discuss your pay’ clauses
- The state of the UK film and TV economy
- “Emotional Tax” of being on guard against racial bias
- The “freelancers can’t be safety reps” thing that people keep saying.
- Theatre skills shortages at a ‘tipping point’
- What health records relating to employees can an employer hold?
- Two freelance tax developments to note
- Inflation update and the fall in real wages
- HSE annual statistical report
- The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill – unions concerns
- HSE guidance on work-related violence
- The use of weaponry on film sets
- Getting your own film exhibited
- Government response to Employment Status Review
- Freelancers and their parental rights
- IR35 is back (it never went away). What reforms are needed?
- ‘The Growth Plan’ seems to be on it’s knees. What does this mean for Bectu freelance members?
- Some useful resources when discussing the impact of long hours working
- Living Wage Foundation brings its annual announcement forward
- Earnings growth – private sector workers outpace the public sector
- UK independent productions, the inflation punch-in-the-mouth, and the very European remedies.
- Inflation update – August 2022 figures
About us
BECTU branch & member group websites
- Animation and VFX Branch
- Bectu Art Deparment branch
- Bectu London Production Division (LPD)
- Camera Branch
- Costume & Wardrobe
- Grips Branch
- Hair Makeup and Prosthetics Branch (LPD)
- JIGS – Joint Industry Grading Scheme (Riggers / SFX / Grips)
- Live Events Network
- Sound Branch
- Sparks Branch – Bectu Lighting Electricians
- The Rough Assembly – post production and facilities branch
- Theatre Freelancers Branch
Behaviours and mental health
Co-ops and employee ownership
Copyright and Intellectual Property
Coronavirus guidance
Economics
Employment Law
- ACAS – employment rights advice
- Brussels European Employee Relations Group
- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
- Employment Statuses – .gov site
- HR News
- HR Review
- Labour and European Law Review – Thompsons
- LRD Publications
- Maternity Action
- Menopause in the workplace
- Personnel Today
- Taylor Review of modern working practices
- TUC blogs
Entertainment sector news
Environment and Sustainability
Equalities
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network
- Beacon Films
- BFI Press Reset – disability equality
- Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)
- Living Income campaign (NEF)
- London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism
- Maternity Action
- Share My Telly Job
- Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity
- Sphinx Theatre
- The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film
- UK Disability Arts Alliance
Federation of Entertainment Unions
Health & Safety
- Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
- Health and safety in the film, theatre and broadcasting industries (HSE pages)
- HSE Shared Research Programme
- Independent Sage
- JIGS – Joint Industry Grading Scheme (Riggers / SFX / Grips)
- Mark Milsome Foundation
- National Occupation Standards – Armoury
- Safety and Health Practitioner
Industry data
- Ampere Analysis
- BARB – British Audience Research Board
- BFI industry data
- BFI Statistical Yearbook
- Cinematographer's World
- Creative Industries Council
- Creative Industries Federation
- Creative Wales
- EU Audiovisual Observatory
- Film industry tax relief
- Institute for Screen Industries Research
- Internatioal Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas (CICAE)
- OLFFI – global database public funding programs and production incentives for film, TV
- Olsberg index of global audiovisual production incentives
- Raising Films
- Screen Industries Growth Network (Uni of York)
- Screenskills info & resources
- Standard Industrial Classification Codes (SIC codes)
- Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)
- Stephen Follows – Film Data and Education – blog
- The Time Project
- TV Watercooler
Industry employment agencies & intermediaries
Info & advice
Organising advice
Pensions and Investment
Self Employment
Tax and accounting
- Blue Skies Partnership – accountants – blog
- Contract Calculator
- Crunch – accounting advice
- Full list of IR35-related court case decisions
- HMRC tax avoidance campaign
- IPSE – IR35 in the private sector (guidance)
- Low Income Tax Reform Group
- Mark Groom – Deloitte
- Performance Accountancy – blog
- Tax Aid – low income tax advice charity
Think Tanks & thinking
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Autonomy
- Brave New Europe
- Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
- Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Nesta)
- Creative Workforce Pledge
- Dark Matter Labs
- Employee Benefits
- Engage Britain
- Federal Trust
- Institute for Employment Studies
- Law & Policy Blog
- LSE blogs
- Matthew Taylor blog
- Media Reform Coalition
- More in Common
- Next Wave Futures
- Oliver & Ohlbaum
- ONS Employment & Labour Market stats
- openDemocracy
- Persuasion
- Practical Ethics
- PWC Future of Work
- Resolution Foundation
- Royal Society of the Arts
- Social Market Foundation
- The Democratic Society
- The Good Corporation
- The Work Foundation
- UK Coalition for Cultural Diversity (UKCCD)
- Unchecked UK
- Will Davies
Trade Associations & Guilds
- AAPTLE – Alliance of Associations and Professionals in Theatre & Live Events
- Advertising Producers Assoc. (APA)
- Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (US)
- Animation UK
- Association of British Insurers
- Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT)
- British Film Commission (BFC)
- British Film Editors
- British Film Institute (BFI)
- Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
- Freelancers Make Theatre Work
- Incorporated Society of British Advertisers
- Incorporated Society of Musicians
- Independent Cinema Office
- Institute of Chartered Accountants (Eng & Wales)
- IPSE – The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed
- National Rigging Advisory Group
- Parents and Carers in Performing Arts
- Personal Managers Association
- Plaza – entertainment technology
- Royal Television Society (RTS)
- Screenskills
- Telly Mums Network (facebook group)
- The Alliance of Associations and Professionals in Theatre & Live Events
- The Production Guild
- Theatres Trust
- UK Crowd Management Association (UKCMA)
- UK Press Card Authority
- UK Screen Alliance
Training & development resources
Archive
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Inflation update and the fall in real wages | Bectu Freelance Research on Earnings growth – private sector workers outpace the public sector
- Paul Evans on Applying for a Lorimer Letter (LP10)
- George on Applying for a Lorimer Letter (LP10)
- Paul Evans on Travelling to work in the EU (updated)
- Davide on Travelling to work in the EU (updated)
Category Archives: Wellbeing
Why people risk insecure work
An interesting report from The Work Foundation (via Lancaster University) has just landed. Published in partnership with Unison, it looks at the choices and experiences of those in insecure work, and the kinds of interventions that could support them into … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Employment, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Gig economy workers, Productivity, Welfare and benefits, Wellbeing
Tagged Unison, Work Foundation
Comments Off on Why people risk insecure work
Freelancers and the welfare system
This site has carried plenty of posts about freelancing and employment status, tax status, their pension status, and it probably needs a bit more on the generality of freelancing. We often debate whether ‘freelancer’ is even a thing. It doesn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Employment Law and Rights, Employment status, Equipment and kit, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Gig economy workers, IR35, Management, Personal Service Companies, Productivity, Skills & capacity, Tax, Universal Credit, Welfare and benefits, Wellbeing, Work-life balance
Tagged Equity, Minimum Income Floor, Work Intensity
Comments Off on Freelancers and the welfare system
Bectu Assistant Editors Toolkit published
Bectu’s Post Production & Facilities Branch have published an Assistant Editor’s Toolkit, a new professional resource to support Editorial Trainees and Assistant Editors’ career development in the cutting room.It includes a Skills Guide – a comprehensive document to keep track … Continue reading
Four day week trial
The BBC are reporting on a UK-wide six-month trial, testing the costs and benefits of a four-day week on full pay, across a wide range of different firms. The trial was conducted between June and December 2022, organised by 4 … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Employment, Freelance working, Long hours, Management, Productivity, Wellbeing
Tagged Four day week
Leave a comment
Freelancers and their parental rights
I’ve had a request to write a briefing on UK parental rights for freelancers on my to-do list for a while, so I was very pleased to discover the website of Maternity Action which seems to answer most of the … Continue reading
Health and Safety research resources.
We are looking at doing some comparisons between different industries on the physical stress that applies to particular types of work (and ultimately, perhaps, with the industries covered by Bectu in comparison with other countries). One resource Karl Raw from … Continue reading
Bectu ‘Live to Work’ campaign launched
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
Fatigue in the TV and film industy
There’s a useful summary of this issue on the IOSH magazine website here. It’s got a lot of the kind of thing you’d expect (including a quote from our own Spencer MacDonald). And this: “Research says that when an employee … Continue reading
Bectu Mental Health and Welbeing Policy published
This was an idea that came from Bectu members during the pandemic. We did a load of online sessions discussing different aspects of the question “what is wrong with ‘the freelance deal’?” and there was a repeated refrain saying “our … Continue reading
Posted in Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Health & Safety, High End TV data, Long hours, Management, Mental Health, Safe working practices, Safe working standards, Wellbeing, Work-life balance
Tagged Bectu Mental Health and Welbeing Policy
Leave a comment
Looking Glass ’21 report
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
What do employers need to do to retain talent?
It’s something of a recurring theme from the Pensions & Investment Research Consultants (PIRC), but all of the research (including their own work with Autonomy and Survation – [pdf]) point to a need to pay people better, treat them with … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Employment, Employment Law and Rights, Long hours, Low pay, Management, Mental Health, Productivity, Wellbeing, Work-life balance
Tagged Job retention, PIRC
Leave a comment
HSE ‘Working Minds’ campaign launch
The UK Health and Safety Executive has launched a campaign website called ‘Working Minds‘ designed to provoke “….a culture change across Britain’s workplaces where recognising and responding to the signs of stress becomes as routine as managing workplace safety.” “Work-related … Continue reading
BEIS consultation on flexible working
The BEIS is currently consulting on flexible working – “Making Flexible Working the Default” – here [pdf]. “This consultation includes a set of proposals which are built around the principle that working arrangements are best decided through a constructive, open-minded … Continue reading
Natasha’s Law – UK Food Labelling Resource
You will probably have noticed the fact that there has been a change in legislation relating to the responsibilities caterers face on food labelling, specifically relating to allergies. The new food labelling legislation in the UK such as the UK … Continue reading
Rust – Armoury in the spotlight
I’ve avoided posting things that speculate about the incident that led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust” because waiting for the outcome of official inquiries is usually the right thing to do in circumstances … Continue reading
Posted in Long hours, Safe working practices, Wellbeing
Tagged Armoury, Guns, Halyna Hutchins, JIGS
Leave a comment
Surprising-yet-unsurprising news about people thinking of leaving their jobs
The most surprising-yet-unsurprising nugget here is that “…the majority of those considering quitting had been offered no incentives to stay by their employers.” 📰📰NEW STUDY: How to Solve the Labour Market Crisis by Raising Standards Labour shortages are a principal … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Employment, Inflation, Long hours, Low pay, Mental Health, Pay & inflation, The working environment, Wellbeing, Work-life balance
Tagged Autonomy, PIRC
Leave a comment
General sense of wellbeing fell during the pandemic
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
Comprehensive European figures on women’s representation in TV drama
Women still under-represented in the #TVfiction industry in Europe🚺Find out more in our report ➡ https://t.co/hjdMgTDNP4 #womeninfilm #diversitymatters #womendirectors #genderequity pic.twitter.com/hqMu7fHIw6 — Europ AV Observatory (@EuAvObservatory) October 20, 2021 The key insights contained in the report are that, beyond obvious … Continue reading
BBC Studios Appoints Tom Fussell as CEO
As reported in Variety. “Fussell will oversee BBC Studio’s “ambitious” plans for global expansion, its focus on employee engagement and wellbeing as well as diversity, inclusion and sustainability.”
Posted in BBC, Diversity of representation, Environment & Sustainability, Wellbeing
Tagged BBC Studios, Tom Fussell
Leave a comment
Shift-working and disrupted patterns of rest – a research round-up
Thanks to Siobhan Wray, an Associate Professor in Organisational Behaviour at Lincoln University for a useful roundup of research resources on this, including…. A systematic review of shift work and nurses’ health: This – ‘Working Time Society consensus statements: Evidence-based … Continue reading
Highway Code updated – new penalties for being too tired to drive
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
IATSE go back into talks with AMPTP following overwhelming strike mandate
Following the overwhelming support given to a strike ballot, and a slew of pressure from Californian and New York politicos, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) are now headed back into talks with The Alliance of Motion Picture … Continue reading
Women more likely to leave the Theatre sector post-pandemic
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
Long hours working in film and TV – landmark article
I’ve just stumbled on a 2012 article by Gavin Polone that I read while writing the Eyes Half Shut report – one that (for reasons that escape me – probably an oversight) I didn’t reference at the time. The Unglamorous, … Continue reading
£1.2m annual Netflix training ‘war chest’ and other scripted TV training developments
As referenced in the Guardian article a few days ago, here’s more detail on this Netflix training budget, from Broadcast [£]. Quoting ex-Production Guild chief Alison Small (now working directly for ‘Grow Creative UK’ / Netflix) on training: “If we … Continue reading
Benefits of collective bargaining – more paid holiday
From an ETUC (European TUC) press release: “Workers who benefit from collective bargaining enjoy up to two weeks extra paid holiday per year, an analysis of EU data for the ETUC has found as millions prepare to return to work … Continue reading
Posted in Employment Law and Rights, Long hours, Wellbeing, Work-life balance
Tagged Holiday pay
Leave a comment
Scotland to trial four-day week
….but without a loss of pay. More on the BBC website.
Posted in Employment Law and Rights, Long hours, Mental Health, Productivity, Wellbeing
Tagged Four day week, Scotland
Leave a comment