Bectu launches new pay and conditions agreement with Independent Theatre Council

In-house staff at independent theatres across the UK will benefit from improved pay and conditions, following a new agreement between Bectu and the Independent Theatre Council (ITC).

Bectu and ITC launched their new contract earlier this week at Bectu HQ, with a panel session and Q&A with Head of Bectu Philippa Childs and ITC Chief Executive Charlotte Jones.

Administrative, technical, management and other in-house staff will be covered by minimum pay rates ranging from entry-level workers on the real living wage (currently £12 per hour outside of London and £13.15 in the capital), up to senior leaders on £660 per week. A pay scale for other levels of management and professional staff has also been agreed by the two negotiating bodies.

The agreement is the result of months of talks between the union and the management association. In addition to salaries, ITC and Bectu have agreed improvements to sick pay, parental leave, and redundancy pay for in-house staff at independent theatres across the UK.

With the Government expected to publish employment law reforms in the next month, Bectu and ITC see the new agreement as an important moment for the small-scale theatre sector, and are urging the industry to sign up in preparation for the expected reforms.

The agreement will be rolled out later in the year, with ITC “Ethical Managers” expected to meet or exceed the terms.

You can read more about the agreement here and get the agreement here.

Commenting on the contract launch, Head of Bectu Philippa Childs said:

“Bectu is extremely pleased to be a signatory to this important agreement with the ITC, to ensure that in-house theatre staff are employed under fair and equitable conditions. It’s no secret that low pay is one of the core issues driving skills shortages in the theatre sector, and our members deserve to be paid properly and treated well at work.

“Ahead of welcome reforms to employment law, this agreement is a crucial step forward in ensuring good employment practices and achieving a more stable working environment for our members.”

ITC CEO Charlotte Jones, said:

“ITC companies already benefit from standard contracts for performers, directors and creatives. Now the whole in-house team can be engaged on fair conditions that ITC has agreed with Bectu.

“This helps small theatre companies use legally compliant contracts and ensure good employment practices. We know ITC members want to be good employers, and this agreement helps achieve that.

“Big changes to employment law are coming, so the new contract will put our members in the best position to attract talent and keep up to date with the law.”