EXCLUSIVE: Around 40% of UK film and TV crew are frequently being asked to break working rights regulation, according to a Bectu survey.
Bectu is now calling for a meeting with broadcasters, streamers and producer trade body Pact over the issue of “breaking turnaround,” which is when crew are required by their employer to return to work within less than 11 consecutive hours in each 24-hour period. This is in breach of workplace rights regulations, according to Bectu, which conducted the survey.
Nearly half (40%) of the 500 surveyed said they were frequently asked to “break turnaround,” and a further 34% reported that they were sometimes asked to “break turnaround.” Just 4% said they had not been asked to break turnaround on any of their last three jobs. Crew also spoke of the pressure to accept broken turnaround as standard, with many saying it felt like an expectation they couldn’t refuse.
Unsurprisingly, almost all respondents said “breaking turnaround” impacted their ability to do their job safely and effectively. When asked about the effect of working “broken turnaround,” one in four respondents mentioned either driving while tired, falling asleep or nearly falling asleep at the wheel, getting into crashes and/or car accidents.
Bectu is now calling on producer trade body Pact, streamers and broadcasters to meet with the union to discuss “broken turnaround” and the occupational health hazards it can create.
Last year, Bectu and Timewise were behind research that found production costs would rise by just 4% if the industry reduced its standard working day by two hours. At the time, the BBC said it was “considering” the findings and whether to implement them in some form.
Bectu National Secretary Spencer Macdonald said any changes regarding “broken turnaround” had not been made clear during the union’s thorny negotiations with Pact over the 2022 UK TV drama agreement.
“Film and TV crew have undergone a particularly challenging 18 months in what can already be a very precarious industry to work in,” he added. “Worryingly, many respondents to our survey told us of their fear of being replaced and pressure to simply accept broken turnaround as part of the job. But our research clearly shows the detrimental impact of broken turnaround and excessive hours.”
