EastEnders’ freelances win new rights

Freelances working on EastEnders have won the right to be represented by BECTU, it was confirmed last night.

After a ten-month campaign, freelances engaged on the BBC’s flagship show have the right to seek BECTU’s help to secure improvements to their pay and working conditions.

ACAS, the arbitration service, which has been assisting the BBC and BECTU with the recognition claim, confirmed last night that 62% of freelances had registered their support for BECTU’s right to represent their interests.

This is a landmark in the union's long campaign to secure proper representation for freelance workers.

BECTU has acknowledged the cooperation of BBC management who had earlier agreed to recognise the union voluntarily on condition that BECTU could demonstrate majority support amongst the 140 freelances employed on the long-running programme.

National Official Spencer MacDonald and lay official Jane Perry have worked tremendously hard, together with key members of the EastEnders’ team, to secure this result.

“This week’s news marks a new beginning for freelances on EastEnders; after many difficult years of standstill pay and the low morale which that brings, freelances can now negotiate with their employer to secure the improvements they deserve.

“EastEnders is a flagship show; we hope that the production will also now become a standard bearer for decent conditions of employment, whether the staff there are permanently employed or freelance.” commented a BECTU spokesperson.

BECTU’s recognition for freelances at EastEnders is just the latest in a succession of agreements which the union has achieved for freelances working on long-running TV shows.

Many freelances in television have in fact been employed by the same company for years but with none of the benefits enjoyed by the permanently employed staff; it is this unfairness which lies at the heart of BECTU’s campaign for freelances.

Freelance workers now have formal union representation at The Bill, BBC Resources, BBC Scotland (including the Scottish soap, River City) and the BBC's Natural History Unit, creator of Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Life in the Freezer.

BECTU national Official Spencer MacDonald commented: "We will now be consulting our new branch at EastEnders to identify the key issues and concerns they face; we will then raise these matters with management."