Bectu/Pact joint statement on the collective TV Drama Agreement
Pact and Bectu have today issued the following joint statement:
“For both Pact and Bectu and our respective members the priority is a fair and transparent collective agreement that addresses work-life balance and is workable across all budget levels of UK scripted television.
It is incumbent on all of us to do all we can to maintain a collective agreement and to encourage stability within our industry, both for the sake of the domestic production community and of those who seek to invest in the UK and bring their productions to the UK.
To that end, we can confirm that we are fully committed to finding a solution to the outstanding issues in our negotiation.
To give us the time to pursue a possible solution fully and with the complete engagement of all parties we have today agreed to extend the deadline for termination of the current collective agreement by 1 month until the 30 September 2022.
To ensure clarity and stability within the industry, engagements and contracts on all existing productions that started formal prep before 1st September 2022 (Existing Productions) will continue to work under the 2017 Collective Agreement.
Productions starting formal prep after 1st September (New Productions) will engage crew on the 2017 collective agreement until it is superseded by a new collective agreement at which point those terms will apply with immediate effect from the agreed implementation date.
In the event that negotiations do not bring about a new collective agreement by 30 September 2022, producers and crew members will be entitled to renegotiate the terms of engagements on New Productions with effect from 1 October 2022. Existing Productions will continue to work under the 2017 Collective Agreement.
Pact and Bectu will agree an agenda for further talks and have confirmed that a round table meeting with Bectu represented by all branches and Pact bringing producers from a cross-section of budget levels will take place in September. Talks will encompass Bands 1-3 and Band 4.”
‘Joint statement 26 September’
Pact and Bectu met again on Friday 23 September for a day of further negotiations on the terms of the Bectu/Pact TV Drama Agreement. Negotiations have now concluded and Pact has committed to submitting a new offer, reflecting the terms negotiated during the last month, for Bectu members to consider.
Allowing time for the offer to be drafted, consulted on by Pact, and any points of clarity resolved, a Bectu member consultation will then take place from 10 October, followed by a ballot between 14-23 October.
During this period, crew should continue to be engaged on the terms of the 2017 TV Drama Agreement until it is superseded by a new collective agreement, or the agreement expires following the ballot.
Max Rumney, Pact
Spencer Macdonald, Bectu
26th September 2022