This is from Paul Evans, the BECTU official who looks after all the London Production Division craft branches:

Hi all,

Here’s the briefing that has gone to MP’s, the BFI, the BFC and CIF to help us with our continued lobbying efforts.

Tom Railton, (Bectu/Prospect’s political officer) has been heavily involved with this work. In addition to this, Spencer MacDonald has been talking to the British Film Council and the Head of Bectu Philippa Childs has been involved in discussions with the Creative Industries Federation and the BFI Covid-19 task force.

Yesterday, Philippa took part in another call with the Creative Industries Federation and a couple of Treasury officials. Later this afternoon she has a further call with the BFI Task Force that will involve DCMS officials and Mike Clancy (Prospect General Secretary) also has a call involving different Sectors with BEIS.

We are also inputting data from our surveys to all of these bodies and others to help with getting the message across that more must be done to help freelancers working in the Sector. As you will know, progress appears to be slow but I think we’re possibly expecting more on the SEISS over the next few days, in line with the proposals we’re suggesting in the attached paper.

However even good progress will only potentially solve *some* of the many issues our members are experiencing so we must keep up the pressure.

A reminder too that the Film and TV Charity/BFI Emergency Support Fund (supported by Netflix, the BBC and others) is now open for applications but only between 8-22 April and that the Charity is also offering repayable grants of up to £2k grants for freelancers and that scheme opens on 15 April.

Again, we couldn’t do any of this without the really dedicated feedback loops along with the ideas that have come from our reps and members. Philippa has asked me to pass on her thanks to everyone who is helping us to make this case as loudly as we can…

Once again, the briefing document is here.

From BECTU:

The coronavirus crisis has highlighted just how exposed and precarious the working lives of people who work in the arts, theatre, live events, film, broadcasting and TV have become.

It is time for workers across these industries to come together and work on ‘A New Deal’ – to be clear that many of us will only be able to stay in our industries if the employers are prepared to make it more sustainable for us to do so.

This means:

• greater security
• fairer hours, rates, working terms and conditions
• dignity at work – a change in management style so that workers are able to work in environments where they are respected and valued for the work that they contribute.

Bectu will campaign across the creative industries for A ‘New Deal’ for freelancers and precarious workers – a change to the industry where employment relationships are no longer as one-sided, and where these workers can expect reasonable protections from the hazards of precarious working.

Over the coming weeks, we will be consulting our members, both directly, and through their branches. We will be doing online consultations as well as online branch meetings that will allow members to participate directly.

Ultimately, if the workers in our industries can agree what they are asking for, and stick together to insist that employers take our demands seriously, we can change our industries – permanently – for the better.

Our ability to bring about radical change is dependent upon how effectively our union can help people to stick together, and we are urging everyone in the industry to get involved now.

Take part in our ThoughtExchange on the changes that are needed as part of this ‘New Deal’: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/#199571178/hub

BECTU made a submission to the Treasury on Monday 30th March to make clear the ways in which Film & TV freelancers are falling through the cracks of the government’s coronavirus-related support schemes, and to suggest changes that would help.

Please note – also from BECTU: “since this letter our ‘ask’ on PAYEs has definitely developed a lot, and we’re into a lot more detail about how we help the Treasury solve the problem (the Treasury actually want to give workers the money, we think. They just can’t think of a fair/un-fraudulent way of doing so and we’re giving them all of our ideas on this….”

You can read the submission here.

This letter went out today from BECTU to the 100s of production company contacts provided by members on Sunday. Well done team ✊ #AllForOneAndOneForAll

The rate card meeting will still take place on the first of April, but it will be online using the Zoom system. We have pulled it forward – 1:45pm to join, starting at 2pm.

We will discuss new drafts of the rates cards. There will also be a Q&A with BECTU’s research officer on options for support during the lock down.

This one is members only and registration is required as the system only allows 100 attendees. Please submit your questions in advance and we will endeavour to get the answers for you, and then follow up with more discussion.

We’re very aware that members will have lost significant amounts of work over the last week or so due to the Coronavirus situation, and want to know what the union is doing on their behalf. We’re sharing this update from Paul Evans, the BECTU official who looks after the London Production Division, of which Camera Branch is the biggest branch:

“We’re lobbying on a number of fronts:

1) To make sure that people who aren’t on PAYE can access the same package that people who are on PAYE are able to get (so this means calling for people to be able to treat what they have drawn down either as salary or dividends from their Personal Service Company as an indication of the income that they have received.

2) To also put the question of kit-hire on the agenda – the argument that people who are freelancers are not only losing *income* – they’re also losing revenue of capital items that they would expect to resell to employers (i.e. kit, vehicles, software, insurances as well as other standing expenditure that they can’t just suspend during this crisis.

3) The ‘(re)entry level’ problem – for plenty of reasons, members may not have earned money last year (they are entering the industry / were taking career breaks as a result of childcare or illness etc

Every day, the focus of our campaigning is changing, but we have a professional team that includes a Parliamentary Officer with good connections among MPs of all parties, a press team and a good research team. We’re also providing regular update via the website and twitter – you may have seen today’s news story?”

In addition branch reps are pushing hard to make sure BECTU also demands help for those members who organise their work lives as freelancers but are taxed as PAYE employees. Lots of PAYE crew had quiet winters & weren’t working on 1st March, and  had good expectations of work starting soon which has now gone away. Some of these crew members will be amongst the lowest-paid grades. We don’t think it’s fair that they should miss out on any help the self-employed might get, and they must not be allowed to fall through the cracks.

Our Coronavirus Advice page is regularly updated and we’re also putting out news though the branch Twitter & Instagram pages – if you use those platforms please help by re-tweeting & sharing to your Stories.

We’re also urging you to write to your MP asking for a better deal for freelancers – use this link, it’s super-easy & takes 3 minutes: https://bectu.org.uk/self-employed-workers-need-protection-too-email-your-mp-now/

Thanks for reading – stay safe & keep in touch. Your committee & officials are here to help.

COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES

• Camera Branch condensed safety info: 10+10 – what to ASK & what to DO
• Camera Branch anonymous COVID-19 Safety Reporting Form
  Open to both members & non-members to report concerns about health & safety with regard to Covid-19. The branch will be monitoring this closely – however any member who has immediate concerns or needs to talk to an official should contact BECTU directly on covid19@bectu.org.uk or call 020 7346 0900 during office hours.
• BECTU Need to know page on returning to work.
• BECTU Guidelines for Features & TV Drama
• BECTU Guidelines for Factual, Entertainment and Outside Broadcast
• BECTU OB Network COVID guidance
• British Film Commission Film and High-end TV Drama guidance
• APA Guidelines for Commercials
• BECTU / APA Joint statement on COVID-19 testing
• Government guidance for reporting of coronavirus incidents in the workplace. Under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013), your employer is obliged to report a ‘dangerous occurrence’ if an unintended incident at work has led to someone’s possible or actual exposure to coronavirus, and must also report any actual cases or deaths that happen as a result.
• Joint Statement from Camera Branch, the BSC, the ACO, & the GBCT, 12th May 2020.
• Letter from Spencer MacDonald, the National Secretary of BECTU, outlining the union’s approach to Covid-19 safety, 4th May 2020.

CONTRACTS & RATES

● Bectu Unfair Contractual Terms Reporting Tool – use this to let Bectu know about unreasonable contract changes with regard to Covid-19.

● Bectu Covid-19 Return-to-Work Rates Monitoring Tool – let Bectu know if employers are asking for lower rates as you go back to work.

TRAINING

● Screenskills Coronavirus Basic Awareness training – free on-line learning module, takes approximately 1 hour to complete.

● Screenskills Safe Return to Set seminars:

• Film Craft Focus: ‘Mothering Sunday’ (more focused on Art & Costume Dep’ts) 19th August
• A Focus on High-end TV Dramas 2nd September

GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT:

• FAQ – SELF-EMPLOYED INCOME SUPPORT SCHEME
• Note – HMRC now have an on-line eligibility checker for the Self Employment Income Support Scheme here.
• FAQ – CORONAVIRUS JOB RETENTION SCHEME  (‘furlough’ for PAYE workers)
• News for Directors of Ltd Companies 5th March 2020
• BECTU’s main COVID-19 page
• NEWS: what BECTU is doing for freelancers
• Template letter for PAYE workers asking to be put on furlough (updated 06/04/20)
• BECTU’s submission to the Treasury 30/03/20
• Letter to 100s of film & TV production companies, 31/03/20

LINKS FROM ELSEWHERE:

• The Chair of the Treasury Select Committee wrote to the Chancellor on 8th April, highlighting the way so many of us are falling through the gaps. This tell us that BECTU’s lobbying is working – their response is here.
• TV Watercooler ‘Coronavirus Hall of Fame’ – a list of those TV production companies who have done the right thing and furloughed their PAYE freelancers. If you worked PAYE for one of these companies in Feb, get in touch with them now!
• Screenskills: Free Remote Training during lockdown
• Announcing the COVID-19 Hardship Fund for freelancers | The Rory Peck Trust
• Joint statement from the Federation of Entertainment Unions (Bectu, Equity, the Musicians’ Union, NUJ & the Writers’ Guild).
• COVID-19: Answering questions from the screen sectors | BFI
• Universal Credit
• Government advice about Coronavirus
• Lastly this made us feel a bit better about the future 🙂

BECTU has just announced another round of meetings about the IR35 tax changes that will come into effect in April.

These meetings are strictly members-only, but it’s possible to join on the door.

There’s a note on BECTU’s position on IR35 here and for members only, the Tax For Freelancers guide is here (log-in required).

• 17th Feb – The Goat Pub near Shepperton Studios: 6-8pm
  47 Upper Halliford Road, Shepperton TW17 8RX
  Parking available outside the pub – members will need to register their car on a tablet inside the pub for free parking
• 19th Feb – 01 Zero One Soho: 7-9pm
  Hopkins Street, London W1F 0HS
  Limited parking in general Soho area. Advisable to take public transport if possible.
• 9th March – Pinewood Studios in the Large Boardroom: 7-9pm
  Pinewood Road, Iver Heath SL0 0NH
  Parking available on site & photo I.D needed
• 11th March – The Goat Pub near Shepperton Studios: 7-9pm
  47 Upper Halliford Road, Shepperton TW17 8RX
  Parking available outside the pub – members will need to register their car on a tablet inside the pub for free parking
• 17th March – Leavesden Studios in the Screening Theatre: 6-8pm
  Warner Drive, Leavesden WD25 7LP
  Parking available on site & photo I.D needed
• 19th March – Leavesden Studios in the Screening Theatre: 7-9pm
  Warner Drive, Leavesden WD25 7LP
  Parking available on site & photo I.D needed

General info:

– These meetings are strictly open to members only. If anyone wishes to join the union and attend, they can join by filling in an application form on the door, or call BECTU in advance of the meeting and bring proof of membership with them.
– 6pm-8pm slots are to accommodate construction crew working hours as much as possible.
– 7pm-9pm slots are to accommodate shooting crew hours as much as possible.
– To access Pinewood and Leavesden Studios you will need to have photo I.D and register at reception – allow some extra time for this.
– There is no pre-registration for these meetings – you just need to turn up and join us.
– Workers who live in the regions are welcome to join if you happen to be working in London at the time of the meetings.
– No further regional meetings have been scheduled at the time of writing.