Embedded Files
Updated Commercial Rates from 1st September
Rates
A pay claim for TV Drama was put to PACT in September 2024, which after some discussion was approved by way of a Branch Wide vote.
Lighting Technicians Rates
from 1st January 2025
"The 2025 rate increase will be implemented on all new and existing drama productions with effect from 1 January 2025 and shall apply until 31 December 2025."
Lighting Technicians Rates
from 1st January 2026
"The 2026 rate increase will be implemented on all new and existing drama productions with effect from 1 January 2026 and shall apply until 31 December 2026."
Documentation for 2025-26 Rates
PACT Offer Letter (Dated 20th Dec 24)
TV drama Best Boys Rates
Following extensive consultation amongst Best Boys currently working in TV Drama, a document has been produced to outline recommended rates on
New Contracts from 1st April 2024.
The table below highlights the recommended multiplier to be added to each Lighting Technician rate for each Band.
BEST BOY Rate Card - Apr 2024.pdfTerms & Conditions
TV Drama Deal memo
As of April 2020, an employer must supply a "Written Statement of Particulars" before work starts, by law.
For our industry, that will be issued in the form of a Deal Memo, which each crew member should receive a at the time of engagement.
Ensure you read this document carefully to avoid issues when a contract is supplied.
More on our Contracts Page
TV Drama Agreement 2023
Terms and Conditions for Independent TV Drama
Following a Union Wide, All Department Ballot, the following document was accepted by majority vote.
Read Section 4, IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW to see if this is relevant to your job
PACT/BECTU TV Drama Agreement (hosted on the BECTU site)
To view the contents of this document online without downloading,
CLICK HERE
If you are working for a non-PACT company, we have suggested you use these documents as guidance to negotiate your individual T&Cs
If you have a query about the agreement or wish to report non-compliance or abuse please email tvdrama@bectu.org.uk and contact the branch mobile.
Joint Guidance Dec 23
Following the 1st 6 Month review of the TVDA23 in July 2023, PACT & BECTU have jointly published agreed guidance on a small number of points.
There are still multiple issues outstanding that are on constant review and that BECTU and The Branch are seeking to resolve.
Joint TV Drama Agreement Guidance 081223.pdfNote on Individual Call Times
"Individual call times have replaced ‘pre-calls’ so that Work done prior to unit call will be specified in the call sheet setting out the individual’s call time" - . This work is part of an individual’s contracted hours.Overtime will only apply once those contracted hours have been worked"
Before Unit Call Pre-Calls at OT rate are no longer recognised under the 2023 TVDA. After 0600, you start on your 1T contracted hours at your individual start time. When those hours are complete, then you can charge OT. On a normal SWD with precall and wrap, ie 0700- 2000, this would result in exactly the same hours with exactly the same financial outcome as you go into OT at 1700.The issue comes if you started early, and were sent home early, eg 0700-1700, where you have come in 1 hour earlier than Unit Call, but sent home at the end of your contracted hours, with no financial recompense for coming in early..
Note On Camera Overtime
"If, for example, 30 minutes camera overtime is called but the production finish within 15minutes the full 30 minutes must be paid. In addition, if the production continue beyond 30minutes crew can refuse to work the extra time without any detriment."
Essentially this means that if Production ask for 1 hour overrun, but only use 30 mins, they still pay for 1hr. If they ask for 30, and want to extend, crew can legitimately refuse to a 2nd extension.
Note on 6hr break.
"Crew starting before unit call are entitled to an uninterrupted 20 minute break in accordance with the Working Time Regulations within 6 hours of their individual call time."
This may mean the break does not coincide with serving of food. PACT recognises this and accepts that some crew may require additional time away from work to eat once food is made available.
"Individual call times have replaced ‘pre-calls’ so that Work done prior to unit call will be specified in the call sheet setting out the individual’s call time" - . This work is part of an individual’s contracted hours.Overtime will only apply once those contracted hours have been worked"
Before Unit Call Pre-Calls at OT rate are no longer recognised under the 2023 TVDA. After 0600, you start on your 1T contracted hours at your individual start time. When those hours are complete, then you can charge OT. On a normal SWD with precall and wrap, ie 0700- 2000, this would result in exactly the same hours with exactly the same financial outcome as you go into OT at 1700.The issue comes if you started early, and were sent home early, eg 0700-1700, where you have come in 1 hour earlier than Unit Call, but sent home at the end of your contracted hours, with no financial recompense for coming in early..
Note On Camera Overtime
"If, for example, 30 minutes camera overtime is called but the production finish within 15minutes the full 30 minutes must be paid. In addition, if the production continue beyond 30minutes crew can refuse to work the extra time without any detriment."
Essentially this means that if Production ask for 1 hour overrun, but only use 30 mins, they still pay for 1hr. If they ask for 30, and want to extend, crew can legitimately refuse to a 2nd extension.
Note on 6hr break.
"Crew starting before unit call are entitled to an uninterrupted 20 minute break in accordance with the Working Time Regulations within 6 hours of their individual call time."
This may mean the break does not coincide with serving of food. PACT recognises this and accepts that some crew may require additional time away from work to eat once food is made available.
Time Off the Clock (TOC) / Broken Turnaround & Early Calls
Broken turnaround and early calls dispute
What is the dispute about?
- Broken turnaround and early call terms were not amongst the list of terms and conditions discussed during negotiations on the 2023 TV Drama agreement.
- Following the ballot on the agreement in which members voted to accept it, it was then discovered that Pact had fundamentally changed the terms around broken turnaround and early call payments.
- Whereas previously members would receive a payment of 1.5T in addition to their hourly rate (2.5T in total), the agreement now states that the payment is 0.5T meaning members receive 1.5T in total.
- Pact were not willing to negotiate on this and so Bectu instigated the dispute procedure as set out in the agreement. It was agreed by both parties to go to arbitration which took place in July this year.
- Unusually, the arbitrator did not decide in favour of either party. Instead, they declared that Pact had unilaterally changed the terms the agreement - which has caused a significant financial detriment to Bectu members - but production companies were correct to apply the terms as set out in the agreement.
- The arbitrator recommended that Pact and Bectu work together to find a solution. We published a joint statement with Pact to that effect in August this year. It was agreed that Pact would come back to Bectu with a proposal to consider.
Current situation
After no communication from Pact, we wrote to ask for an update. The response we received stated that Heads of Production did not want to move away from the terms as set out in the agreement. This was despite feedback from members including a comprehensive and detailed report from the Hair and Makeup branch based on data from a survey of members.
We wrote to Pact setting out our dissatisfaction with this response and alerting them and their members that the union intends to campaign on the issue.
More details on the BECTU News Pages - Broken Turnaround
And in this article in Deadline
"Protect the Breaks" Article from Stage Screen & Radio, Winter 2024
If you have any further queries, please do contact the Branch Mobile "The BatPhone"
Expired Terms & Conditions can be found in the ARCHIVE
Known areas where productions were following PACT guidance, and not the agreement, that contributed to the decision to instigate the termination clause, and give 6 months notice.
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