Posted by Gerry Morrissey on 9 April 2009
Now parents have the legal right to request flexible working arrangements up until their children are 16 years old.
Commentators suggest that 95 per cent of requests for flexible working submitted since 2003, when the right was first introduced, have been granted.
Surely compelling evidence Lord Mandelson, that business in general has responded well to the new right? With the recession on everyone's mind, it is important that we don't row back from progress on equality and family friendly policies which are designed to modernise the workplace and to make it easier for more people to contribute to the economy.
I say that 'business in general' has responded well. But how has our own sector performed? We'd like to hear from you on this one.
Some of our employers are better placed and more open than others to flexible working requests; have the new rights had a positive impact on commercial television production, for example? Are women returning from maternity leave more able to continue with their careers in their own right? Are they finding that they are more supported by partners who have also been able to agree flexible working arrangements? And what about the freelance sector? Is the production culture there showing any signs of changing with the times? Post a comment here or members can take part in the Forum on this topic.
BECTU has a persuasive role to play of course and no doubt this week's new rights will lead to calls for our help. Holding on to what our members have, and building on those entitlements, is the continuing challenge for us and our fellow trade unions.
The Theatrical Management Association - the employer's body responsible for regional theatre - has responded to BECTU's claim for a 5 per cent increase by suggesting that a wage freeze is justifiable. Willy Donaghy, my colleague who heads up our Arts and Entertainment division, has made it clear, after consultation with representatives, that acceptance of such a position is a non-starter. Whilst BECTU will always present the members' case and place this within the context of the employer's performance, we are mindful of the possibility that some employers may seek to exploit the recession to drive down members' terms and conditions. Is this the TMA's objective? Talks are set to continue in the next few weeks.
Pressing the case for our members often means that we work in collaboration with specialist researchers and legal experts. One such friend to BECTU, Professor Brian Bercusson , a legal scholar and expert in European labour law, died suddenly aged 60, last August.
Professor Bercusson was instrumental in BECTU's successful challenge to the UK government's enactment of the Working Time Regulations in 1998. Our victory in the European courts meant that thousands of freelances, not only in our sector but across the UK, were able to accrue annual holiday entitlement from day one of a contract.
Brian's life and achievements will be celebrated at a memorial service due to take place later this month; unfortunately, I won't be able to attend due to our annual conference, but our delegates in Bournemouth will join me, I am sure, in paying our warmest respects to him for his contribution to progress for the labour movement.
Happy Easter.
Gerry Morrissey, general secretary.
Comments
- Freelancer 15 April 2009
- I don't know about other areas, but my experience of independent television production is that employers make all the right noises but are very inflexible in practice. I've lost count of the number of times I've agreed with a production that I can leave to collect my children at a given time (as a condition of my taking the job) only to be told later that the arrangement is 'inconvenient', or worse to suffer barbed remarks and sighs when I remind them of their commitment. The new rules don't cover freelancers and offer us nothing. I fear that the reaction of employers to employment rights like this will be to further casualise the workforce rather than accept the responsibilities and flexibility they're being asked to take on.
- Sharon Elliott, Communications Officer 18 April 2009
- You are right of course that the UK treats its freelance workforce less favourably than those who are employed. However, BECTU, is one union which has always campaigned for more equity (see our challenge on holiday rights for freelances referred to in Gerry's blog on 4 April)and the many examples of successful campaigns for freelance recognition: BBC's Natural History Unit, BBC Resources, The Bill and more recently EastEnders. We have demonstrated that it is possible to organise to improve the rights of freelances but we can't do it alone. If you are not a member, do join us. Next week at our annual conference (see news pages)our Writers, Producers and Directors branch will be urging the union to put more resources into changing the way the industry is organised so that more women, and women with children, can maintain their careers at producer and director level.
- Steve Cons 21 April 2009
- I have had a flexible work option at ITV Yorkshire (Emmerdale) since 2003.
This involves me working a fixed 4 day week pattern that means I have a better work-life balance-although still on average working 48 hrs a week.
This has on the whole been supported by the company-but with some restrictions:the "inflexibility" of a fixed working pattern has been described to me as something that "would not work in roles where crew continuity is essential"-so there appears to be quite a way to go before the culture in tv drama production fully accepts flexible working.
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