Odeon harmonisation ballot

Letter to Odeon Technician members: Ballot on sound and projection harmonisation

5 June 2007

I am pleased to advise that the BECTU Odeon SDC and Odeon management have been able to secure an agreement, which your union is prepared to put to you in this ballot with a recommendation that you accept the proposal as detailed.

It is true to say that only a couple of weeks ago, it was looking increasingly unlikely that agreement could be reached but, through some further sensible negotiation, both parties were able to agree the attached proposal.

In essence, what is attached to this letter, replaces what is set out in the current Odeon Agreement in respect of your terms and conditions. In other words, Chief Technicians become Technical Managers and receive a salary the same as managers for the job they do. The salary will be based on a calculation reflecting 42 hours paid for 40 hours worked. There will be no overtime or additional payments for Technical Managers above the salary save for where appropriate the location allowance. Technicians will work for 40 hours per week but the rate will reflect a calculation based upon 42 hours reflecting approximately a 5% increase on the hourly rate. Apart from Bank Holidays which if worked, will be paid out at double time, all other hours worked above 40 by Technicians will be paid at single time which will include late shows and night working.

More detail in respect of the above is set out in the attached proposal. The proposal also indicates the number of staff who will benefit in overall terms by accepting the new terms and conditions. There will be some in the minority who may not earn as much as they have done previously but in general, these will be people who have in the past worked excessive amounts of overtime. It should be borne in mind that overtime and other former premium payments were not guaranteed. All that was guaranteed under the old agreement was the basic 35 hour week, which if they so wished, the company could hold people to working.

Enclosed with the proposal and this letter is a ballot form for your use. Please note that the ballot paper when filled in must only be returned in the prepaid envelope provided and must reach BECTU Head Office no later that noon on Wednesday 20th June 2007.

Yours sincerely

D. J. Beevers
National Official

Letter to Odeon Technician members: Odeon Sound & Projection - Final agreement between BECTU and Odeon

After lengthy and challenging negotiations we are now in a position to confirm that agreement between the two parties has been reached.

Through the effort, determination and goodwill on behalf of both the SDC and Odeon negotiating team we believe the agreement delivers the aims set out at the start of the consultation period:

• The commencement of harmonisation of pay, terms and conditions and working practices of the Sound & Projection team
• A fair deal for employees

1. Existing employees

To do this Odeon has agreed to implement the following agreed actions from July 1st 2007 for all current Odeon Sound and Projection employees.

• Implementation of 42 hour pay for 40 hours work agreement. This means that all current full time Odeon S&P employees will work 40 hours minimum from July 1st and will receive a 5% pay increase on their current rate. Technical Managers will be salaried at this level with Technicians remaining hourly paid. Any overtime worked by Technicians over the 40-hour contract will be paid at new single rate and at double time for the 8 identified Bank Holidays.
• The £5/week London allowance currently awarded to Odeon Technicians will be have the entitlement preserved at this rate.
• The Technical Managers at Barnet, Beckenham, Chatham, Chelmsford, Epsom, Esher, Gerrards Cross, Guildford, and Kingston upon Thames, Maidstone, Muswell Hill, Putney, Richmond, South Woodford, Streatham, Tunbridge Wells, Uxbridge, and Wimbledon will receive a £1,315 per year (paid in monthly instalments) location allowance (as per cinema managers) whilst they remain employed at that cinema.
• The Technical Managers at Camden Town, Covent Garden, Holloway, Kensington, Leicester Square, Marble Arch, Panton Street, Swiss Cottage, Tottenham Court Road and West End will receive a £1,840 per year (paid in monthly instalments) location allowance (as per cinema managers) whilst they remain employed at that cinema.
• All existing Senior Technicians will retain their existing job title; there will be no further appointments to this position. A salaried role of Projection Manager to support the Technical Manager at Leicester Square will be introduced.
• Holidays will be preserved at current rates. This means those employees with over one year's service will receive 25 days holiday and all employees with less than one years service will remain at 20 days.
• The Company Sick Pay provision will be revised as follows:
  • Technical Managers max 20 weeks after 5 yrs service.
  • Technicians max 15 weeks after 5 yrs service.
  There will be NO 3 day qualifying period before CSP is paid applicable to existing Odeon Technicians.
• New operating hours budgets will be applied to all cinemas and Technical Managers will manage these within the agreed levels (see attached).
• A new Full time and Part time employee/manning compliment has been agreed for each cinema. The new compliment will be implemented where it is identified that additional hours are available (without affecting current Technicians 40 hour minimum contract) when a Full time employee leaves.
• Revised job specifications will apply to all roles; new training and development process, and a new maintenance process will be implemented over the short to medium term.
• The existing bonus scheme is withdrawn.
• A new agreement between BECTU and Odeon for sole negotiation rights (for Odeon employees only) will be created containing the substantive elements of the negotiated terms.

2. Summary

The impact of this agreement this will mean that 61% of Technical Managers will receive an increase or the same as their actual earnings between April 2006 and March 2007. In addition 72% of technicians will receive an increase or the same as their actual earnings between April 2006 and March 2007.

Thus any employee who worked 41 hours (or less) on average for the above year to April 2007 will be either better off (or at least no worse off) following this agreement.

3. New employees

In return the negotiating teams have agreed the following actions that will be implemented for all new start employees from July 1st:

• Use of new HAY Group salary & pay bands for the new positions of Technical Manager (salaried) and Technician (hourly pay rate).
• The introduction of a Training rate at 50p ph below base for Trainee Technicians until completion of the agreed training manual (circa 6 months).
• Minimum 39-hour contractual working week for Full Time employees.
• Technical Manager Salaried and Technicians hourly paid, all Technician hours worked over 39 hours at single rate.
• 20 days p.a. basic holiday entitlement. Rising to 25 days p.a. after 5yrs service for Technical Manager. Technicians entitled to 20 days p.a. basic.
• Company Sick Pay.
• Technical Managers max 20 weeks after 5 yrs service.
• Technicians max 15 weeks after 5 yrs service.
• Technicians will also have 3-day qualifying period before CSP is paid as per all new hourly paid roles.
• Technical Manager receives Location allowance as per Cinema Manager, no location allowance for Technicians

The BECTU Odeon SDC, strongly believe that we have achieved a realistic and acceptable outcome for all Odeon employees. As a consequence of this, this proposal comes to you with a recommendation that you vote to accept.

As stated in the accompanying letter, ballot forms must be returned only in the prepaid envelope provided to reach BECTU Head Office no later than noon on Wednesday 20th June 2007.