Beeb bonus for walk-ons

Published Monday 17 May 2004 at 15:45

I am delighted to say that after three years of negotiations between Equity and BBC Rights, walk-ons and supporting artists are now being given individual BBC ‘chits’, at the end of each day worked. This also doubles as a contract. Background agencies no longer have to sign and return contracts, they are redundant. This should speed up payments to artists.

Since the artist is now receiving a chit, they can prove they worked on a production when paperwork is lost. In the past payments could be delayed by up to six months. After this success in good relations the BBC is to be asked to treat payments to their artists within the same time scale as full/part-time staff. Since those who work sporadically for the BBC have a right to be paid within the same time scale as any other BBC employee.Ê

Artists’ rights are to be tested at an Employment Appeal Tribunal later this year, to determine the law on whether the BBC employs the background agency or whether the artist employs the agency. The EAT decision may have an effect on national minimum wage regulations and who pays the agents’ commission.

Clive Hurst

Email: clivehurst@beeb.net