BECTU urges theatre staff to improve pay locally

Broadcasting and entertainment union BECTU has secured above-inflation pay increases for members in regional theatres and at BBC Bristol's Natural History Unit.

The theatre deal, agreed with the Theatrical Management Association (TMA), will affect non-performing workers including technicians, box-office staff and cleaners at 150 venues outside London. It was approved by 83% of BECTU's regional theatre members in a ballot.

As well as delivering a 3.5% rise in minimum rates of pay (equating to about £10 a week for the lowest-paid workers), the deal will increase meal and travel allowances by 3.2%, touring allowances by 25%, employers' pension contributions by 0.5% and holiday entitlement by two days for staff with three years' service. All the changes have been backdated to April.

"This is a smaller increase than in previous years," admitted BECTU supervising official Willy Donaghy, "but it is still above the rate of inflation and really consolidates what we have done in recent years. We still have a long way to go, because the theatre industry is historically very poorly paid."

Commenting that the increase was more than the TMA had originally offered, Donaghy added: "Members at many theatres negotiate rates of pay in excess of the minima, as the agreement states that the minimum rates should not often apply. This possibility is open to members in every TMA theatre, and the best way to increase your chances of success is to recruit all your colleagues into the union so you can campaign for bigger improvements together."

The BBC Bristol agreement is for freelance wildlife camera operators, and follows the first round of pay negotiations since BECTU won collective bargaining rights for these workers last year. It is worth £11.25 on most freelancers' daily rate.