Negotiations between producers and crew over the UK TV drama negotiations broke down.
British crew union Bectu confirmed that its members voted overwhelmingly to reject the offer on the table by the UK Producers’ Charter.
“Our members voted overwhelmingly to support Bectu’s position in response to Pact’s latest offer and give us a clear mandate to pursue further discussions,” Pectu President Philippa Childs said in a statement.
“The UK TV drama industry has reached a critical point, with many cast members suffering from burnout and low morale and unable to maintain a family life and well-being of their own. At a time when the industry is booming, we know that many talented workers are leaving due to a culture of hours. Long, unsustainable business. It is time to address these issues head-on with an agreement that addresses our members’ concerns and is fit for the future to ensure the industry and its employees thrive for years to come.”
“Bectu remains committed to reaching a negotiated settlement that meets our goal of improving crew welfare, reducing excessive and uncommunicative working hours, and supporting the growth of the industry. We look forward to meeting with Pact to discuss the way forward expeditiously.”
The vote comes after weeks of mounting pressure on both sides of the negotiations.
More than 75 production companies have written to their crew members asking them to consider the Pact offer. However, the Instagram account BritCrewStories, which posts stories of the crew’s mistreatment of its 11,000 followers, encourages union members to turn down the offer.
Pact’s proposal got off to a rough start earlier this month after the organization shocked Bectu by announcing some of its offer terms to the media in a statement titled “Pact offers vastly improved terms to television script crew.”
In response, Childs said, “While we are pleased that Pact has delivered an improved bid, we are surprised that the details were put into the public domain before we had a chance to consider and consult with our representatives.”
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