3% increase at Soho Images ends overtime ban

Entertainment union BECTU has negotiated a pay deal at film laboratory and post-production house Soho Images, following a prolonged dispute.

An overtime ban had been in place at the company since last November, in protest at a management decision to offer a pay rise of just 2% for 2006 - and to backdate the increase to July rather than the traditional anniversary date of April.

BECTU said the industrial action, which was backed by 86% of members in a ballot, was the "first disruption in the laboratories sector for several decades".

It was called off this month when a two-year deal was brokered at conciliation service ACAS, delivering a 3% increase backdated to July 2006 and a further 3% this July.

"We all hope the damage done to industrial relations at Images can be repaired in what will hopefully be a stable period," said BECTU supervisory official Rob Newland after the offer had been approved by a ten-to-one majority in a ballot with an 82.5% turnout.