Stage, Screen & Radio - October/November 2014 - 4

In Brief National Minimum Wage increase

News

The National Minimum Wage increased by 3% on 1 October and is now £6.50 per hour.
Employees aged 21 and over will receive this rate. Those between 18 and 20 will receive
£5.13, an extra 10p an hour. 16-17 year olds are now paid £3.79 while apprentices will
receive an extra 5p an hour taking it to £2.73. If you are not paid in accordance with this
you can call HMRC's Pay and Work Rights helpline 0800 917 2368.

West End SOLT ballot

nion members working in London's West
End are to be balloted on SOLT's counteroffer, despite the view of officials that it
is derisory.
The offer was made during a meeting on
Wednesday 1 October called by BECTU officials
Patrick Styles and Gus Baker and theatre reps with
regard to West End pay. ATG's managing director
Nick Potter was in attendance, as well as Darren
Atkins of Nimax and Lucinda Harvey of SOLT.
Speaking on behalf of SOLT concerning the
London Living Wage, Nick Potter proposed a
counter-offer that was considered by reps to be
derisory, where he suggested that West End staff
would have to sacrifice key terms and conditions
to qualify for the wage.
The union's negotiating committee rejected
this proposal and pointed out to SOLT that the
London Liveing Wage is a matter of basic decency.
Reps also highlighted that union members' living
costs have continued to increase, while theatre
companies' profit margins remain extremely

healthy. Additionally, it was emphasised by BECTU
representatives that it is fair to expect employers
to invest in their staff, not just their buildings.
Statements from members working in the West
End were read out during the meeting, which
underpinned the financial hardship and long
hours many face.
One BECTU rep said: "The theatre companies
don't seem to understand that it is our skill, elbow
grease and experience that make the West End
such a massive tourist attraction and money
spinner.
"We are not glorified roadies: we are
professionals who deserve to be paid fairly and
treated seriously."
"I read an article about 'Endies' - People
Employed with No Disposable Income or Savings.
I suppose that makes me a West Endie. I am broke
by the time I get paid," an usher said.
A consultative ballot of members in the West
End will now be conducted to seek members'
views on SOLT's counter-offer from SOLT.

Play your part in the workforce survey

MAIN PICTURE: GRAEME HUNTER ©BBC SCOTLAND COMEDY UNIT. RIGHT: CREATIVE SKILLSET

BECTU is encouraging all
members to take part in
Creative Skillset's Workforce
Survey. The survey will focus
on individuals working in TV,
radio, film, animation, VFX,
digital media and games.
Creative Skillset says: "We'd
like employees and freelancers
to tell us about their career

development in creative media
including entry routes, training
needs and barriers to
progression. The survey offers
individuals a unique
opportunity to shape future
training and skills development
both for themselves and their
industry."
Industry leaders are already

Talented creatives: what are
your training needs?

on board and strongly
encouraging those working in
the sector to take part. David
Abraham, CEO of Channel 4,
says: "The UK has some of the
most talented creative
professionals in the world.
We need to ensure that we ask
them what they need to further
develop their skills and give
them the best support we can
at every stage of their
career." The survey takes
around 15 minutes to complete
and will remain available until
Friday 21 November.
Anyone completing the
survey at the link below will be
eligible to enter the prize draw
to win one of three iPAD minis.
The link is:
http://bit.ly/PlayYourPart14b
All responses given, including
any personal information
provided, will be kept strictly
confidential. Individual
responses are not shown to
anyone.

Scottish freelance
members voted by 85% to
15% to accept an acrossthe-board increase of 2%
on all freelance and casual
rates.
The offer was made
following discussions
between BECTU's Scottish
Freelance Branch
negotiating team and BBC
Scotland management on
18 September. A further
2% would be applied from
1 October 2015. These
minimum rates apply to all
BBC Scotland output, and
not just dramas and series.
BECTU Scottish national
official Paul McManus said:
"I am very pleased that
BECTU has been successful
at negotiating this
two-year pay deal for
our hardworking freelance
members."
BECTU will now talk to
the BBC about a pay rise
for freelances whose
personal rates have been
slightly above ratecard
minimums in the past,
leaving them without a
pay rise for several years.

Stage Screen & Radio October/November 2014

http://www.bit.ly/PlayYourPart14b

Stage, Screen & Radio - October/November 2014

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